


Call Me "Daddy"

by Guzmasboi



Series: Werewolf Daddy [1]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work, werewolf - Fandom
Genre: Age Difference, Amnesia, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Daddy!Kink, Dubious Consent, Father/Son Incest, Homophobia, Homosexuality, In the closet!, Incest, Inner Wolf, Knotting, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Mates, Mating Rituals, Naive, Oblivious, Obsessive Behavior, Original Fiction, Parent/Child Incest, Past Abuse, Possessive Behavior, Protectiveness, Rape/Non-con Elements, Shyness, Twilight-inspired, Werewolf, daddy - Freeform, ddlb, sexually inexperienced
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-28 13:49:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 35
Words: 209,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15708495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guzmasboi/pseuds/Guzmasboi
Summary: "'I'm sorry, what?' I asked, unsure if I'd heard him correctly.  'I'm not sure I understand.'Paul continued to smirk and stalk closer to me, blocking off any escape now.  'I'm giving you two rules to follow, just two: One, you're mine and only mine; and Two, call me Daddy.'"**********Shy guy, Darren, moves to his mom's hometown along with his homophobic stepdad.  Afraid that he'll be thrown out of his house, Darren keeps his sexuality a secret, desperate to stay in the closet no matter what-- especially after his experience with an abusive boyfriend.Things get complicated when Paul Martinez, an older man with a major Daddy Kink, claims that Darren is his mate and belongs to him only.  But Paul has a secret of his own that he keeps from Darren, and it's not just that he's a werewolf.**********Trigger Warning: This story does have instances of homophobia, physical/sexual abuse, and blood-related incest.





	1. INTRO + Trigger Warnings [Please Read]

**A/N:** Hey there everybody!  

This one is going to be a rewrite of one of my old stories that I'd started a long time ago on Fanfiction.net. It was entitled _Elastic Heart_ and was based in the _Twilight_ universe because I am/was that person. But life got in the way and I never finished it despite loving it a lot.

Originally it was about Paul imprinting on a boy fifteen years after the events of _Breaking Dawn_ because I love manxboy romances.

But, because I forgot my login info at Fanfiction.net and because my interest in _Twilight_ has diminished a bit over the years, I've decided to rewrite the story in my own universe. But the wolf's name is still going to be Paul, so yeah; but I will be adding in some Daddy!kink stuff because it's become my new obsession. I hope that you guys like it and don't find my younger writing skills completely barf-worthy.

If you'd like to read the original, the link to my old profile is: <https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5367010/Wigglytuff17>

And yes, my name was Wigglytuff17. I was and will forever be a PokéNerd.

A copy of this story along with my other ones will also be on my other profiles across the web in case something happens to this one.

[This is my Wattpad account!](https://www.wattpad.com/user/Guzmasboi)

[This is my FictionPress account!](https://www.fictionpress.com/u/1116852/Guzmasboi)

Enjoy!

*The chapter titles will be songs that I felt fit the mood of the section or that I was listening to a lot as I was writing it.  Either way, I do not own the song nor the lyrics snippet.  They're there simply for entertainment purposes.

**_ ***TRIGGERS!!!*** _ **

** THIS STORY CONTAINS BLOOD-RELATED INCEST BETWEEN FATHER AND SON!  **

There are also instances of homophobia, sexual and emotional abuse, and physical abuse.  Plus, there are countless sections that involve dubious consent. 

If you don't like the story, then please don't read/report.

If you do decide to continue, then please enjoy!

**♡Guzmasboi**


	2. Elastic Heart

**[Photo of Darren]**

****“Elastic Heart” - Sia

_I’ve got thick skin and an elastic heart / But your blade it might be too sharp / I’m like a rubber band until you pull too hard / Then I might snap and I move fast / You won’t see me fall apart / ‘Cause I’ve got an elastic heart_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

Growing up, my mom kept telling me that Jonathan was my dad, and that was it.  But I knew that he wasn’t my actual blood-father, mainly because we looked nothing alike and his name wasn’t on my birth certificate.  Well, in all actuality, the Father section on my birth certificate was left blank.  That was kind of a weird story as to why.  

The condensed version was that my mom had met this one dude (whom she dubbed Asshole whenever she told me the story) in high school, and they messed around.  That led to my mom getting pregnant at age fourteen.  Then my grandparents, who were ultra-concerned with what the neighbors would think of them, shipped my pregnant mom off to El Paso, Texas to live with her aunt and uncle.  She had me there, and we’d spent my whole life there.  Jonathan, who was also from the same town that Mom was, met her in El Paso when I was five, and the two had been inseparable since.  My mom found it cute that she and Jonathan were from the same small-town and had met up miles away.  She called it fate, I called it company relocation.

I’ve never met my birth father.  I didn’t know a lot about him.  I knew that he got my mom pregnant and that they lost touch when she moved.  Other than that, Mom didn’t like to talk about him, getting a little irate whenever I’d asked her questions.  I didn’t even know his name for that matter.  But whatever.  I couldn’t miss what I didn’t know, right?

 Thanks to Jonathan’s homesickness, he thought it’d be a great idea to move us back to their hometown.  He’d also mentioned that his father was getting too old to live on his own, so we were also going to California to help take care of him.  I fought to keep my mouth shut as I glanced out the car window at the new town we were being shipped to.  The area, known as Crescent City, seemed to be a biophile’s paradise as evergreen trees dominated the area with almost no infrastructure around.  The buildings that were visible were small and kind of run-down, not at all like the tall, proud skyscrapers of downtown El Paso, Texas where we located from.  That brought me to another difference that made me scowl: It’s too cold here!  I shivered in the backseat, too proud to admit that I should have heeded my stepdad’s advice that I should have worn pants instead of my khaki cargo shorts.

 I grimaced at the driver’s seat where Jonathan sat, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on the gear shift.  My mom had to wrap things up at the company where she worked, wanting to make sure that everything was spit-spot when she resigned so that she could get a good reference.  Somehow that included staying behind in El Paso for a couple weeks while I was forced to move with Jonathan.  It was his fault as to why I had to leave my glamorous life in Texas for the cabin feverish Crescent City.  My phone buzzed in my pocket… for probably the fifth time in the last couple of minutes.

 “You sure are popular, Darren,” Jonathan mused, not taking his eyes off the green scenery that he had previously declared as beautiful.

 “Mm-hmm,” I grunted, feeling a little uneasy about having to pick up my entire life and start anew in a foreign place.

 My phone vibrated again.  Ugh, at least that’s one good reason to move away from El Paso.

 “Darren, your mom was hoping that maybe you’ll meet a nice girl here,” Jonathan said.  “You’ve always been a little shy.  She hopes you’ll break out of your shell.”

 I just nodded.  Yeah, I’ll admit it: I’m shy and tend to keep to myself.  But that’s not why I haven’t hooked up with a girl yet.

 The van jerked to an abrupt halt.  My body flung forward, but was stopped by the seatbelt which dug into my shoulder.  The tires screeched and Jonathan slammed his heavy fist down onto the horn.  The horn’s blare was muffled out by the engine rumblings of the motorcycle that had cut us off.  The driver was wearing a black leather jacket that accentuated his bulk, his back looking broad and muscular as he flipped us the bird.  He didn’t wear a helmet, the wind blowing his short black hair up into tiny spikes.

 “What a jackass,” Jonathan spat.  “Looks like that Martinez guy’s still amounting to shit.”

 The motorcyclist eventually disappeared down the road, the rumbling of his bike vanishing along with him.  My eyes stayed trained on his alleged location, eager to see his return for some odd reason.  An escape? Maybe that’s what he represents to my subconscious since he’s so different from me.  I’m Darren Estrada: seventeen year-old, straight-A honor student who aspires to become an English teacher.  I’ve never done anything that could be classified as “Badass” in my entire life— a total square.  I don’t like to use profanity, I say “please” and “thank you”, and I even read the Terms and Conditions pages on Apps.  The most rebellious thing I’ve ever done was download a song online which gave my laptop a virus, so I never did it again.  Then there was the motorcyclist: He didn’t play by anyone else’s rules but his own.  He didn’t wear a helmet, he gave Jonathan the finger, and he even cut off a minivan.  Plus, a little more obviously, he rode a motorcycle which automatically boosted his points.  I’m too embarrassed to admit that the notion of riding a motorcycle terrifies me, so I’ll most likely never experience that action.

 “Fuckin’ prick,” Jonathan hissed, shaking his head back and forth with anger.

 The van lurched forward again, and within a couple more minutes, we drove up to a gated community.  It was one of those fancy looking neighborhoods surrounded by a gray stone wall, with black iron gates to keep out non-residents.  Apparently, this neighborhood was finished just two months ago, and we’d managed to snag a nice two-story near the back of the community.  Within the gates were twenty-five identical two-story homes, each with a two-car garage and a hot tub on a wooden deck in the backyard.  I’d even heard that each house has its own built-in Wi-Fi and state of the art security system that was designed by German engineers.  I found it ironic to be in such a nice community in the middle of a bumpkin town.  

 Jonathan pulled up and punched the code into the keypad: # _93277*_.  The black, iron gate that had _Mountain Shadows_ in cursive metal creaked open, granting us access to our new neighborhood.  As soon as we drove in, the gates slammed shut behind us, making me feel like my life was now sealed here in Crescent City.

 We approached the edge of the community, driving up to a light blue two-story with a red brick chimney poking out of the left side.  “Welcome home,” Jonathan smiled.  He pulled up into the driveway, turning off the van.

 Thank God, now I can finally get out of the minivan and stretch my legs.  Eagerly, I hopped out, immediately being assaulted with the bone-chilling air.  Even though it was nearing Spring, the major temperature difference made me want to put several layers of clothing on.

 “Darren, start carrying the suitcases inside, ‘kay?” Jonathan said, fishing his phone out of his pocket to text my mom to let her know that we made it.

 “Yeah,” I muttered, heading over to the backside of the van.

 “You mean, ‘Yes, Sir’,” Jonathan corrected, narrowing his icy eyes at me.

 “Yes, Sir.”  I popped open the back door and began to drag our suitcases towards the house, “accidentally” letting Jonathan’s fall onto the pavement a couple of times.  I followed behind the larger man into our new house, greeted with the scent of lemon polish and cinnamon-apple candles.  The inside was pretty nice, even I must admit.  The mahogany hardwood floors were so varnished that they reflected my surprised face back up at me.  The walls were bleach white without a single blemish.  Near the front door was a silver panel embedded into the wall that had bright blue buttons which helped me to deduce that it was the alarm system for the house.

 “Well, what do you think?” Jonathan asked.  He owned his own online business as a financial advisor to some companies, so it didn’t surprise me that he was able to afford a house this extravagant.  What shocked me was that there was this nice of a house/community in seen-it nowhere.  The moving van had dropped off our belongings yesterday, so there were cardboard boxes aligning the halls and stacked in all of the rooms.

 “What’s the code for the alarm?” I asked, not wanting to be trapped outside in the wilderness in the off-chance I ever made plans.

 “Let’s just say your curfew is ten, ‘kay?” Jonathan said.  “How about I order a pizza for dinner?”

 “That sounds good,” I agreed, wishing that my mom was here with me.  Jonathan and I were never buddy-buddy, so most of the conversation consisted of clichéd questions that illicit a one-worded response. I felt like I was walking on eggshells the entire time I was around him, afraid to set off his explosive temper.

 For about a half-hour, Jonathan and I spent the time unpacking boxes in silence.  Once one was empty, we’d break it down and lay it on the flattened pile of cardboard.  I was down three, he had five under his belt.  Whatever, it wasn’t like it was a contest.  Soon though, thoughts of the motorcyclist popped back into my head.  He just seemed to ooze masculinity, being the epitome of what a tough guy is.  God only knows why I seemed to be so fascinated with him.

 “So…,” I mumbled, shuffling my way through a box that had a bunch of utensils thrown into it, “what’s the deal with that Martinez man you almost crashed into? Don’t like him much?”

 Jonathan grimaced.  “He was member of some weird gang back in high school, called themselves the protectors of Crescent City— fuckin’ weirdos.  Anyways, he was an asshole back then, and apparently he’s an asshole now.”

 “Did he bully you?” I asked, although I felt I’d already received that answer form the malice marinating his words.  Perhaps Jonathan was the butt of some hurtful pranks at Martinez’s hands.

 “Not just me, but everybody.  Your mom, too,” Jonathan frowned.  He finished with the box he’d been going through, tossing the empty cardboard over to our pile.  “Paul, that’s his name, was a nobody then, and he’s a nobody now.  After graduation, he got a part-time job at some shop and never went far.  Seriously, the guy’s thirty-four, never had a real job, never left Crescent City, and never had a family.”

 I didn’t have the heart to call out Jonathan on the fact that, although he did leave Crescent City initially, he came back.  “Well,” I said, unwrapping a ceramic coffee mug with a polar bear on it, “maybe he considers his gang his family.”

 “Cult’s more like it.”

 Oh.  I could feel the allure of the motorcyclist slipping away from me.  Sure he had seemed cool beforehand, yet now he sounds like a, for a lack of a kinder word, loser.

 “Just stay away from that guy, and don’t join his cult if he asks.”

 Like I’d join a cult.  I rolled my eyes and sighed.  Wanting to talk about something else, I asked, “Anyone else you know who lives in town?”

 Jonathan chuckled.  “We’re not in El Paso anymore.  I know everybody in town and vice versa.”

 “Oh,” I mumbled.  I’ve never lived in a small town before, so the thought of everyone knowing my life made me oddly anxious.  “Anyone else I should avoid?” I’d meant that as a half-joke, half-serious inquiry.  I wanted to make my living arrangements as comfortable as possible.

 Jonathan laughed to himself, not thinking that I was being a smart mouth.  “No, it’s pretty safe here.  Eh, I do know a Martha Griswold who sells meth, and a Jason Channing is a fruit.”

 “A fruit?” I asked, placing the last of the mugs in a nearby cabinet.  I was a little confused by his choice of words, foolishly envisioning a pineapple that I’d call Jason.

 “A faggot,” Jonathan clarified.  “Stay away from it.  He’s going to burn and we don’t want him to take you down with him.  So stay away from that freak ‘cause I don’t want fags in this house.”

 My heart sped up and my palms began to get clammy.  I took a pause from unpacking dishes so as not to have one slip out of my sweaty hands.  “You won’t have to worry about that,” I muttered.

 “Good.”

 Jonathan and I unpacked boxes in awkward silence for a while, me too afraid to look at him lest he see my anxiety.  Eventually the doorbell rang and the deliveryman dropped off our pizza.

 After stomaching a slice or two of the grease-soaked bread that some refer to as pizza, I trudged up the stairs to my new bedroom.  It was the last door on the left at the end of the dark, upstairs hallway.  The room shared the same mahogany floors as the rest of the home— I’ll have to put a nice floor rug down (maybe dark purple).  On the popcorn ceiling was a solo fluorescent bulb with no fan or fancy covering.  The movers had already brought in my desk, mattress, and other belongings (still in boxes) into the small room.  All the clutter made it feel stuffy, so I walked over to the window to open it a crack for some fresh air.  The window of my bedroom overlooked the edge of the gated community.  The back wall was in sight about five feet from the house, and beyond that was the dense coniferous forest that swallowed the whole town.

 My phone buzzed again.

 Great, I thought, this was the last thing I needed.  Finally caving in, I looked at the phone screen, beginning to read all fourteen texts from Vincent, my ex-boyfriend.

  _HEy_

 There was no way I’d answer.  We were no longer an item, and I felt that responding would just give him false hope, despite me living halfway across the country now.

  _Answer!_

 We had met in Spanish class.  I was having trouble memorizing the preterite form of _ser_ , and Vincent came over to my desk to help me out.  The next day, he’d surprised me with flash cards that he had made containing all seventy verbs that we were supposed to have memorized for the following week’s exam.  To a nerd like me, it was a very thoughtful and charming gift.

  _I kno u moved but we can make this work_

 The next weekend, he had asked me out to a movie, to which I’d said “Yes”.  It was so much fun!  We had gone to a Korean restaurant and then saw the new cheesy giant monster _Godzilla_ -ripoff.  At the end of the night, when I’d began to say “Goodnight”, Vincent pulled me into his arms and smacked his lips to mine.

  _Hello?!_

 I accepted his proposal to be boyfriends that very night.  Inside, I was jumping with excitement at finally having a boyfriend.

  _Baby please talk 2 me_

 Things were great.  We went out on dates, hung out at his house after school, and spent all of our free time together.  I was having the time of my life.

  _Darren I swear 2 God if u dont answer_

 Then things spiraled downwards, really fast.  He grew possessive, not letting me out of his sight and trying to fight off my friends.  He’d tried hiding my phone so that he’d be the only one I could talk to.

  _Fuckin bitch!  Answer me!_

 Then he hit me one day.  I’d tried to convince him to allow me to attend the Journalism Club’s Christmas party where we would be looking back on the year’s articles and reminisce.  Nerdy, innocent stuff.  However, Vincent had it in his head that I had only wanted to attend because I supposedly liked the Chief Editor… who was a girl.  I’d told him that he was crazy, and in a flash, he socked me right in the jaw.  Now it clicks when I chew my food.

  _Fuckin answer me!_

 Perhaps the worst part was that I had to keep it all a secret.  I’m not out of the closet, nor do I have any plans to be in the near future.  I see the way gays are bullied to the point of suicide in high school; that won’t happen to me.  Vincent had understood and had agreed to keep our relationship under the radar in school, much to my shock.  Well, at least while we were good.  But he’d always threaten to out me to the entire school if I left him, knowing very well that I’d be ostracized and left with only him on my side.

  _Ull regret this_

 And there was no way I’d ever tell my parents.  My stepdad, Jonathan, was the figurehead of the anti-homosexuality movement.  He hated gays and everyone who stood with them.  My mom’s his puppet and would not hesitate to kick me out of the house if he told her to.

  _Ur stil mine, u kno that_

 Therefore, the day that I found out we were moving, I broke up with Vincent via text message.  I know that it’s the cowardly way out, but it was the only way that I could do it without having my safety and well-being compromised.

  _I love u_

 After that, he began to text and call me nonstop.  He followed me around school and even around the city.  One night, I had even seen his car parked outside my house.  I didn’t know what to do.  I felt so helpless.  I wanted, no, I needed help.  Yet, I didn’t want people to know my deepest, darkest secret: I’m gay.

  _Im Stil going 2 hav u_

 When we left El Paso, I made a promise to myself, a promise that would ensure that I’d never have to through what Vincent had put me through again.

  _Answer Baby, please_

 I used to fantasize about what it would be like to meet my real father.  I imagined that he was a tough guy who wouldn’t take B.S. from anyone, especially when it came to me.  As a child, I’d pretend to run up to him in my bedroom (he was usually just a tall lamp that I’d draped my jacket over) and tell him about my day, especially when it’d been a difficult one.  And then he’d tell me that everything was alright and that Daddy would take care of me.  Those dreams only increased when I’d had my trouble with Vincent, and yet, there was no Daddy to save me.  So I had to come up with my own plan.

 I’m not going to come out, nor am I going to date anyone in Crescent City.

 Period.

  _Ok, ur sleeping.  Ill c u soon xoxo_

 


	3. Odd One

**[Photo of Paul/Daddy]**

****“Odd One” - Sick Puppies

_Odd one, I wish I was you / You’re never concerned with acceptance / We are all desperately seeking out / And fitting in with anyone / Who will accept us / But not you, Odd One_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

The alarm on my phone began to beep, making me groan in pain and annoyance at the thought of having to go to a new school.  A new school in the middle of the year for that matter.  Huh, I should probably stop complaining.  I was now going to be a junior at Crescent City High School, the only high school in town.  I’d heard from Jonathan, who had graduated from there back in the Stone Age, that the student body is so small that all two-hundred students can fit on one section of the gymnasium’s bleachers and still be comfortable.

I dragged myself out of bed, which was just a mattress on the floor with a comforter and some pillows since I was too lazy to do more unpacking last night.  I walked over to the bathroom, thankful that my mom and Jonathan got their own attached to their room.  At the apartment that we had in Downtown El Paso, all three of us had to share one bathroom.  Talk about torture.  I took a quick shower and dressed up in pants and a thick wool sweater that I had never gotten to wear in sun-baked Texas.  Here, it should keep me nice and warm though.  When I walked downstairs, I saw that Jonathan was already up, trying to get the Keurig machine to work.

“Stupid piece of crap,” he hissed at the machine.  He slammed his fingers down on random buttons, desperate for his cup of coffee in the morning.

“Um,” I sighed, “plug it in.”

He looked behind the machine, frowning to see that in his drowsy stupor, he had forgotten to plug the Keurig in.  “I hate my life,” he groaned.  Ditto.

Back home in El Paso, I would just ride the bus through the city in order to get to the high school.  However, here in Crescent City, I have to walk and go near the dense forest, which is filled with all sorts of animals that would love to take a bite out of me.  I’m fairly sure all I taste of is Cheez-Itz and Dr. Pepper since that’s all I ever eat during my downtime.  Anyways, I digress: I do not want to walk to school in Crescent City because I’m willing to bet my whole savings account (that’s another depressing story on its own) that the nearby forest contains bears, wolves, and whatever else there is that has sharp teeth and devastating claws.

“Are you sure you can’t drive me?” I asked Jonathan one more time, hoping that I’d caught him in one of his rare good moods.

He huffed and placed a mug under the spout for his coffee on the Keurig.  “I’ve told you several times before, Darren, the school’s not that far.  Walk.  End of discussion.”

“Yes, Sir,” I mumbled, irritated that he couldn't take the time out of doing nothing to drive me a short distance.  I continued my morning routine of doing my hygiene, packing up my backpack with the essential items, and grabbing my phone off its charger.  I had made sure to call the school office yesterday to see what I had to do on my first day.  The administrative assistant had said to report to the attendance office to pick up my schedule.  That seemed easy enough.

I said my goodbyes to Jonathan and started my way through the community.  It was chilly outside, a gray overcast creating a gloomy mood about the area.  There was a sidewalk that passed in front of my house and led me through a little patch of grass over to the stone barrier that separated the homes from the rest of the town.  There was an iron gate in the wall, wide enough for only one person, with a keypad on the outside.  As soon as I exited Mountain Shadows, the gate slammed shut with a clang and there was a click of a lock that could be heard.  I guess the people in the gated community wanted to keep both the wilderness and most of the Crescent City population away from them.

I pulled my iPod out of my pocket, shuffling my songs.  I walked along the sidewalk which began to run along a semi-busy road.  Jonathan had told me that the high school was only about three-quarters of a mile away from the house, so it’d take me about fifteen minutes at my slow pace to make it there.

The beats of the song that I was listening to began to get drowned out in the growl of a loud engine.  So far, I’d seen a lot of Jeeps and Chevys on the road, but none of them would create a rumble like the one I was hearing.  I glanced over my shoulder, a little nervous that it was the growling of a large wolf or something.  To my relief, it wasn’t a monster dog or anything bad, it was only a motorcycle.

Oh!  It was the Paul Martinez guy that Jonathan hated!

The man was driving up towards me as I was walking with traffic.  This time, I managed to get a better look at the bad man of Crescent City.  He still wasn’t wearing a helmet, his short black hair getting ruffled by the wind.  The permanent scowl on his face only seemed to accentuate his manliness, that along with the dark sunglasses that were only needed to keep debris from his eyes, not for the sun.  He wore the same black leather jacket from yesterday, only this time I could see that it was unzipped to reveal a tight, white t-shirt that stretched across his powerful chest muscles.  All that was missing was a cigarette to complete his total rebel look that he seemed to be going for.

Paul revved the engine and glanced my way, as most motorists do when surveying their surroundings.  However, unlike most motorists, I saw his hard expression go from its apathetic stare, to shock.  His jaw dropped and his sunglasses slid down his nose, letting me see his brown eyes from far away which were wide like his mouth.  Then something unexpected happened: his mouth pulled up into a little smile, all the while his gaze was focused on me.

Then he passed me by, continuing on his way.

That was weird, I thought to myself.  All I was trying to do was walk to school, minding my own business.  I didn’t expect to earn a smile from the resident bad boy… or bad man, seeing as how he was in his thirties now.  Oh well, there was no point in dwelling on it.  He came and went, that’s all.

I continued on my way to school, finally able to see the small two-story building off in the distance.  It did seem pretty tiny, much smaller than my old high school.  Back at my old school, I tended to blend into the crowd.  Sure, people knew me as the nerdy guy who passed all his classes with flying colors, yet I was by no means popular.  People were aware of me, thinking of me more as an acquaintance than a friend.  Originally, I had planned on carrying on that social strategy here with me to Crescent City, but once I saw how small the school was, I was bummed to think that it might be hard to blend into the walls.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.  Oh great, I wonder who that could be… yeah right.  Rolling my eyes, I pulled out my phone and glanced at the text from Vincent: _Hav a nice day!  I luv u xoxox_

It’d be a nice day if he got hit by a bus, I thought, but then I immediately felt guilty about being so morbid.

The music on my iPod began to fade out again as it was muffled by a loud rumbling once more.  I looked up from my phone only to see Paul on his motorcycle again, this time going the opposite way on the same street.  Maybe he had left something at home? As he drove by me, his eyes stayed trained on me just like before.

I could feel my body tense and my pulse quicken.  I was only a block away from the school, so as soon as I get inside, I’ll be safe from Paul’s awkward stare.  This just had to be coincidental.  There’s no way a grown man would turn around in light morning traffic just to get a look at me.  The roads weren’t too busy, but I’m betting that’s just because of the small population in the town though.

Soon Paul was off, gone in the other direction.

I began to scan my surroundings just in case Paul came back around again, looking for a building to run into and hide.  There was a little convenience store that I had passed by a block ago.  I had made a mental note earlier to walk there during my lunch to buy some chips and a soda, but now it seemed more like a sanctuary that I could hide inside in order to the escape the weird motorist, lest he should attack.  The warnings that Jonathan had told me last night about Paul belonging to a cult resonated in my head, only intensifying my anxiety.

I crossed the last intersection and was finally on the same block as the high school.  I made it!  And I didn’t get mauled or murdered in some cult sacrificial ritual!  That right there makes this a good day, I’m just sayin’.  I made my way to the school entrance, cutting through the parking lot to minimize my walking time.

The rumbling of a motorcycle engine grew louder, sounding like was right behind me, pulling into the school parking lot.

No way!

Too afraid to look behind me, I hustled forward and rushed inside the school.  I’m willing to bet that Paul’s not the only person who owns a motorcycle in Crescent City, yet the odds of him being in the parking lot, following me, is pretty big.  I do not not want to risk it.

Once inside the school, I saw several of the students look my way and whisper to the person right beside them, most likely talking about the new kid being here.  With this being such a small town, I’m sure that a new student is big news.  Which is weird to me, since I’ve never been the center of attention before, nor do I like it.  I’m shy, so sue me.

I didn’t have time to focus on that though; I needed to get my schedule.  “Excuse me,” I asked a nearby student who had just walked in, “could you tell me where the attendance office is?”

She paused in her steps and looked at me, wearing a large plastic smile.  “Sure,” she beamed.  “You’re the new guy, right?”

I nodded.  “I don’t really know where anything is yet.”  I gave a nervous chuckle at the end of my corny statement, feeling my face turn a little red due to my shyness.

“No worries, I’m actually part of the student committee, so it’s my job to show the new students around.”

“Oh… cool?”

“Name’s Veronica,” she grinned, holding out her hand.  “But you can call me Ronnie.”

I shook it.  “Darren,” I replied.

“So the office is down this way,” she said, leading the way down the hall that was mildly crowded with students.  The school seemed a little too large for such a small student body.  “So you’re going to talk to Ellie.  She’s new here, but eager to work so she’ll help you out if you have any questions about your schedule.”

“Alright,” I responded, mainly to show that I was listening.

Ronnie brought me to an office that was at the other entrance of the school.  “Right there on the left,” she said, spinning on her heels to saunter off to her first class.

“Thanks!” I called out to her, opening the door to the office, being greeted with the smell of baked goods.  The spices and sugar filled my nose with a pleasant aroma that made my mouth water.  Was this an office or a kitchen?

“Hello there,” came a cheery voice.  “You must be Darren Estrada.”

“Yes,” I said as I turned to see a young woman sitting behind a large counter.  She was petite and had long, black hair in a braid that was lying over her shoulder.  The way she smiled at me put me at ease, making her feel like more of a mother-figure than my own mom.

“I’m Ellie Martinez, the new admin,” she grinned.  She motioned her hand towards a basket with a kitchen towel over it.  “Muffin? I made them myself.”

Wow, she’s friendly.  “Uh, thanks,” I mumbled, grabbing the first one I saw: blueberry.  I like sweets.  “I was told to come in here to get my schedule.”

“That’s right,” Ms. Martinez said, opening up the filing drawer that was next to her desk, shuffling through some papers.  “So, Darren, you’re a junior?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I answered, shuffling my feet a little bit due to all the attention I knew I’d receive today.  Perhaps being shy was an understatement.  Just the sheer thought of having people wanting to talk/look at me sent shivers of paralyzing terror down my spine.  And what killed me the most was when people would just wave my timidness off, telling me to just stop being shy.  Okay, just let me rewire my entire personality then…

Ms. Martinez chuckled.  “Oh Sweetie, call me Ellie.  Ma’am is too formal for high school.  And here’s your schedule.”  She handed me a piece of paper.

“Thanks,” I said, grasping the paper tightly in my fist.  “And thanks again for the muffin.”

“No problem,” she smiled.  “Let me know if you need anything at all.”

I gave her a faint smile and exited the office.  I looked over my schedule real quick in the hallway, frowning a little bit to myself as I did so:

  1. AP English (An Easy-A class)
  2. AP U.S. History (I can just watch the History Channel for that)
  3. AP Physics (That may be a challenge)
  4. AP Calculus (No problem)
  5. Spanish III ( _Yo puedo hablar en español muy bien_ )
  6. Theater (…why?)
  7. P.E. (Again, why?!)



Theater? I’ve never shown interest in that class before in my life, nor do I plan on having any in the future.  I’m too quiet to be doing public speaking!  Plus, what would Jonathan say if I were in that kind of class? Quickly, I turned back and rushed into the office.  “Hey, sorry to bother you again, but there’s problem with my schedule,” I mumbled, placing it down on the counter.

Ms. Martinez was on her cell phone, speaking in a hushed voice to someone.  “…yes, he’s alright,” she whispered.  She glanced my way, blushing a little bit.  “Have to go, he’s here.  And congrats again.”  I could’ve sworn that it sounded like she was talking about me to someone else.  Oh well, there are more important matters at hand.  She hung up her phone and shoved it into her purse.  “How may I help you, Daren?”

I motioned at my schedule.  “I’m signed up for Theater,” I said, feeling nauseas just talking about it.

Ms. Martinez cocked her eyebrow.  “…Okay?”

Alright, I needed to spell it out.  “I’m kinda… shy,” I mumbled, twirling my fingers in front of me.  “Is there another class available?”

She winced and looked apologetic.  “Sorry, Darren.  But the district requires an art, and Theater is the only one available this semester.  It’s out of my hands,” she frowned, but then perked up a little bit.  “But you’ll do well, I’m sure of it.  You know, that was the only class that my brother, Paul, got an A in.”

I jerked back a little bit.  Paul? Paul Martinez was Ms. Martinez’s brother? Sure I should’ve put two and two together, but I was also under the impression that Martinez was a very common surname.  Also, I didn’t think of Paul as a theater-kid type.  He seemed more wood-shop than performance arts.

I left the office in a gray cloud of disappointment and trudged on to my first class.  Sure enough, Ronnie was there.  She waved at me, signaling for me to sit at the empty desk next to her.  I did, pulling a notebook out of my backpack, ready to jot down whatever notes the teacher would write on the whiteboard.

“So a couple of us go across the street to the burger place for lunch,” Ronnie whispered.  “You should come, it’s pretty good.”

Well, that beats my chips and soda alone idea.  “Sure,” I agreed.  “Thanks.”  At first I was going to decline so that I could just focus on blending in and not making waves.  However, a part of me felt that if I made a friend with a girl, then that could get Jonathan and my mom off my back about coming out of my shell.

The first half of the day went by fairly quickly.  Ronnie was only in my English class, and I wasn’t social enough to reach out to other people in any of my other morning classes.  After Calculus, lunch started and I met up with Ronnie and her friend in front of the school near the faculty parking lot.  The two of them were talking about some guy when I walked up.

“Hey, Darren!” Ronnie waved, motioning at the girl beside her.  “This is Lola.” 

“What’s happenin’?” Lola asked, giving me a head bob.

“Not much, just the regular school stuff,” I muttered, feeling myself try to cave in on myself in order to appear smaller so as not to attract so much attention.  This whole day was torture!

“How are you liking Crescent City?” she asked, the three of us beginning our walk over to the burger joint.

“It’s alright,” I said.  “Kind of different from Texas, but it’s still cool.”

“You don’t have to lie, this place sucks,” she laughed.  “If it weren’t for my daddy, I would apply to colleges far, far away from here.”  Her daddy? Maybe her parents were split up and she didn’t want to leave one of them behind.

“There she goes again, talking about her daddy,” Ronnie mocked.  She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text, Lola giving her a knowing look.  “Ever since the two of them got together two years ago, they’ve been inseparable.”  Eh?

“Like you’re the one to talk, with you and your daddy,” Lola teased.

Okay, I was lost.  At first I’d thought that they were talking about their fathers.  However, it was rapidly becoming clearer that they were referring to their significant others, whom they called “Daddy”.  Eww…

“Do they go to the high school?” I asked, trying to get involved more in the conversation, hoping that my assumption was correct so that I wouldn’t look like an idiot.

Ronnie shook her head.  “They already graduated.”

“That’s right,” Lola grinning, nodding her head with pride, “we date older men.”

I fought my grimace.  When Vincent and I had dated, I’d never called him Daddy despite the many times he’d asked me to.  I don’t know why, it just felt… wrong.  For one, I don’t know my father; so when we’d be having sex and Vincent would grunt, “Who’s your daddy?”, I’d chuckle with a “I dunno.”  No offense to anyone who’s into that kind of thing, but I personally would never date a “Daddy”.

“So, Darren,” Ronnie pressed, giving me a little nudge with her elbow, “you got a boyfriend?”

Thoughts of Vincent entered my head, and I could feel the blood drain from my face.  How could they have guessed that I was gay already? Was it the walk I walked? Did I sway my hips too much? Was my voice too high and feminine? I decided to play it off cool, not wanting them to pick up on my distress.  “No, I’m actually straight, and single,” I stammered.  “But I don’t believe in dating in high school.”  I added that last part as insurance in case they ever try to set me up with a girl.

Ronnie furrowed her brow.  “Oh, uh, okay.”  She quickly pulled out her phone and shot whoever she was talking to another text.

Lola bit her lip and immediately changed the subject.  “So, Daddy is taking me out to dinner and a movie.  He said it’d be nice to do a double date, Ronnie?”

“I’m down,” she answered.  She turned to me.  “Darren?”

Like I want to be a fifth wheel on a Daddy Double Date.  “I don’t know…”

“It’ll be fun,” Ronnie pressed, sensing my hesitation.

“Besides,” added Lola, “my daddy was going to bring a friend, a guy by the way, so we’re not trying to set you up or anything.  You won’t be a third wheel or anything.”

“I have to ask my stepdad if I can go out,” I reluctantly admitted.  I suppose it would be nice to peek out of my shell.  On the other hand, doing so at some weird-sounding, fetish-friendly double date wasn’t my first pick of activity by a long shot.  Honestly, I considered just telling my new friends that Jonathan refused to let me go, all without really asking him.

“Try to let us know by tomorrow,” Ronnie said, sounding eager like she really wanted me to go.

We made it to the burger joint and walked inside, seeing many other students already lined up at the counters to place their orders.  I began to scan the menu that was up on the wall behind the cash register.  A mushroom burger sounds good today; how much money did I bring?

“Oh, there’s Daddy’s friend now,” Lola said, bringing me out of my search.  “Paul!  Over here!”

What?!I jerked my head over to where Lola was signaling.  Sure enough, there was Paul Martinez, entering the burger joint.  He looked our way, his dark eyes glued on me again.  He stalked over, my heartbeat speeding up.

He was freaky tall and built.  He had almost a foot on me, and at five-foot-ten, I considered myself tall.  His muscles made him look like an amateur bodybuilder, like he could pick me up and rip me in half if he wanted to… which I pray isn’t his motive for staring at me.  As soon as he was directly in front of us, he took off his sunglasses and the side of his mouth twitched up into a smirk.

“‘Sup?” he asked me.  “Name’s Paul.”  He held out his hand.

“Darren,” I almost whispered, intimidated to the max.  I took his hand and instantaneously felt something like a spark igniting between our fingertips.  He completely engulfed my tiny hand with his beefy one, but he didn’t shake it.  Instead, he bowed down and planted a small peck on my knuckles, pricking me with his stubble.

“It’s very nice to finally meet you.”  Paul looked back up, that smirk still on his face.


	4. Gun

****“Gun” - CHVRCHES

_I will be a gun / And it’s you I’ll come for / Hide, Hide / Have never felt so easy / I will be a gun / And it’s you I’ll come for / And I’m gonna see that you won’t go far_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

I couldn’t believe it!  Paul, a man who was in his thirties, had just leaned down and kissed my hand— which belongs to another male!  A male who is technically underage, seeing as how I don’t turn eighteen for several more months.  My mouth hung open in surprise, unable to formulate words (or sounds for that matter) to come up with a response to Paul’s odd action to meeting me.  Jonathan was right: there is something off about this man.  Then there’s another point that entered my mind: Why did this man want to hang out with high schoolers? And why did said high schoolers call their significant others “Daddy”?

Paul was still holding onto my hand, that cocky smirk still plastered onto his face.  I gave a gentle tug and he let go, although his smile disappeared.

“This is Paul Martinez.  He’s a friend of the gang, one of the original members,” Ronnie said, blissfully unaware of my inner conflict.

That made me snap out of my frazzled daze.  She’d basically confirmed that Paul was in a gang.  Maybe there was a cult, and Ronnie was trying to get me to join.  I’m willing to bet that she was texting Paul on the way here, telling him my location so as to jump me into the gang.  I should be a detective…

We made our way to the front of the line.  Ronnie and Lola ordered their lunch, paid, and then went to find a table.  They managed to snag a free one near the back of the place, up against the window over-looking the main road that passed between us and the high school.

“Hi, how may I help you?” the cashier asked me when it was my turn.

“Um,” I paused, taking one last look at the menu to finalize my decision, “I’ll have a mushroom burger with a small fry, please.  And with a Dr. Pepper.”

The man punched the buttons on the register.  “Okay, that’ll be $7.50,” he blandly said.

I reached into my pocket for my wallet when a large hand engulfed my shoulder, making me freeze.  I cautiously looked behind me, only to see Paul step forward.

“I got it,” he grunted, his dark eyes running over my face, almost as if he were studying me.  

“Y-you don’t have to do that,” I stuttered, unsure as to why Paul wanted to buy me lunch.

He held up his hand, telling me to shut it.  “Go take a seat,” he ordered, “I got it.”  He added that last part with a little inflection that indicated that the matter was no longer up for discussion.

“Uh, thanks?” I turned around, shrugging to myself.  Hey, I just got a free lunch, so I say that all things considered, I came out on top… I guess.  I made my way over to the table where Ronnie and Lola sat, both of them trying (and failing) to look like they were looking at anything besides Paul and me.

Ronnie, her eyes attached to her phone - with the screen dark - glanced up and smiled.  “So, Darren, what do you think of Paul?” she asked, grinning widely.

“Why?” I cocked my eyebrow, taking a seat at the booth on the opposite side of the table from them.  They shared a seat, leaving me with the other one to myself.  That was nice: it allowed me to sit next to the window, which was my favorite spot as I liked to watch the world go by as I ate.

“Just wonderin’,” she answered, taking a sip of her milkshake.  “He’s cool and will hangin’ out with us a lot, so we wanted to make sure you two got along.”

Sure… There was no doubt in my mind that something was up with those three.

“When I first met Paul, I must admit that I was a little afraid of him.” Lola piped in in-between bites of her cheeseburger.  “Daddy introduced me to him at…um, this one thing, and it looked like he had a permanent scowl carved onto his face.  But later on I realized that it’s just a bad boy façade.  He’s really more like a giant teddy bear.”

Cool story, Bro.  “Uh-huh,” I mumbled.  My phone buzzed in my pocket.  Oh God, please not now.  I can’t handle one crazy guy, let alone two.

“Here you go,” I heard Paul say.

I looked up to see him placing a tray onto the table.  There had to be close to fifteen burgers and four orders of large fries on it.  My jaw dropped and I stared at the creeper in awe.  “Is that all for you?” I asked in disbelief.

Paul’s cheeks grew a little red.  “Yeah, I’m a growing man,” he chuckled.

“Where do you put it all?” I blurted, genuinely curious.  Paul didn’t have a paunch on his stomach, but instead had rock-hard abs that were proudly displayed through his thin t-shirt.  In fact, all of his muscles were visible underneath that thin piece of fabric.  I could have sworn that I saw Paul flex his pecs as I raked his body over with my eyes.

“Fast metabolism,” he muttered, taking a seat next to me.  He scooted so close that I moved away, my side pressing against the window.  Yet Paul kept inching his body nearer to mine, until our shoulders touched.  I suppose that he is pretty broad, so I’ll have to let that slide.  Paul reached through the massive pile of food, pulling out my burger and fries and setting them in front of me along with my soda and a napkin.

“Thanks,” I mumbled again, picking up a fry.  It was pretty good; I can see why a lot of students come here for lunch.  As I chewed, that clicking sound from my jaw, which I have Vincent to thank for, sounded out.  Ronnie and Lola didn’t seem to notice, but I could see Paul’s lips purse and his fists clench slightly.

He didn’t say anything, but instead unwrapped burger after burger, devouring each one in a matter of five bites.  Wow.  It was actually pretty impressive, making me wonder if this cult member had won a few eating contests in the past.  There’s no doubt about it.  I decided to search “Paul Martinez” online once I get home later today; that way, I’d be able to see if he had won a contest or had an arrest record— which I’m willing to bet he does.  Normally, I don’t like to judge people based on their appearance, but I mean, come on!  Paul has that “I’ll-Kill-You” look plastered all over this face when he’s wearing that scowl that tightens up his full lips and wrinkles his chiseled and stubble-covered jaw.  However, when he wears that smirk of his that only lifts the left side of his face, it reminds me of someone being a little too cocky.  Something tells me that this man is used to getting what he wants due to his looks since he is rather attractive, I’ll admit.  And lastly, he’s the cliché leather-wearing, motorcycle riding bad boy who only causes trouble in the small town.  Just by taking one look at Paul, and with a little help from Jonathan’s stories (although he does have the tendency to embellish), I can tell that Paul is someone I need to avoid… even if he did buy me lunch.

“Would you like my autograph?” Paul snorted once he noticed that I’d been staring.  He was focused on his burger, peeking at me through his peripherals.

I quickly averted my gaze.  “Sorry,” I mumbled, my face getting warm.

Ronnie began to snicker, taking a loud gulp of her strawberry shake that she’d ordered.  

I felt Paul’s beefy arm tense up as he straightened his posture and cleared his throat at her, gaining her attention automatically.  “Veronica,” he said in a stern, condescending voice, “if I’m remembering correctly, your daddy told you no more milkshakes after you got that cavity.”  He even waved his finger at her, tsking.

Ronnie began to blush and set the shake down onto the table, sliding it away from her.  “Yeah…” she droned.  “It’d be hella cool if you could keep this on the D.L., just sayin’.”

Paul shrugged in an over-exaggerated manner.  “Sorry, Veronica,” he said, acting almost as if he were speaking to a child and not a teenager, “but I promised Justin I’d look out for his baby and let him know if she misbehaves.”  He then narrowed his eyes at the girls across from us.  “Just as I expect my pack to let me know if my baby misbehaves so I can deal with him accordingly.”  What was a pack?

The girls nodded, silently eating their food after that.

And… I was officially uncomfortable.  There was something off about the dynamic in which this gang held itself.  I’m not sure if it was a gender thing or even an age thing, but it was extremely cringe-inducing having to listen to Paul talk down to Ronnie as if she were incapable of making her own decisions.  And what was even weirder was that Ronnie didn’t even think twice about it, and was instead acting as if this was the norm.

Immediately, I tried to come up with an excuse to leave.  Forgot something in my locker? Maybe not, since I had my backpack with me.  Headache? Possibly, and I was getting one, so it wouldn’t technically be a lie.  Diarrhea? Yeah, no one would question that.

I set my fries down on the table and made a move to stand up to announce that I had to leave, when Ronnie and Lola shot out of their seats.  “We have to go,” Ronnie announced, “we’ll leave you two to get to know each other.”

“Huh?” I all but cried out.  They were ditching me with Paul?!

“See ya,” Paul grunted, not taking his focus off his burger and me.

The backstabbing girls walked out, giggling to themselves and taking obvious glances back at Paul and me.

Like what any normal person would have done, I’d expected Paul to move over across the table so that we could each have a booth seat to ourselves.  Unfortunately, he stayed glued to my side, almost scooting a little closer.

“So…,” I wondered aloud, uncomfortable to the max and desperate to distract myself from the older man, “what do you do for a job?” That seemed like a generic and safe topic.

Paul took a break from his burger and faced me head-on.  A small smirk began to form on his face and his posture straightened up with pride.  “I used to do security for Crescent City, you could say,” he grinned.  “I managed to keep the entire town safe, so you know now that I’m a protector.”

“Okay…?”

“And now that the town is a lot safer than in the past, I’ve been kind of job hopping.  Right now I’m in construction, helping to build the new hospital on the edge of the town.  So that tells you that I can also provide, just sayin’.”

“Provide for what?” I blurted, confused by the way he was talking.  It almost sounded as though he were trying to advertise himself to me in a way.  Whatever it was, I wasn’t buying.

“My baby,” he answered nonchalantly, taking a gulp of his soda.  I didn’t know that he was a father… or maybe he was just involved in that befuddling relationship dynamic that the girls were.

I took a bite of my burger, just starting it since I’m kind of a slow-eater.  While I was just taking my first bite of my burger, Paul was finishing his ninth.  “Oh, um okay,” I muttered, a little uncomfortable with how candid this conversation was going.  I’d just officially met this man and already he was trying to get all sentimental with me.  Although, that could just be the mentality of people in a small town.

Paul cleared his throat and when I turned my attention back over to him, jolted to find that he was staring full-on at me, his dark eyes narrowed as he scanned over my features.  “Have we met before?” he asked, sounding puzzled.  He even set his food down and twisted his torso to get a better view of my uneasy form.  “I swear, you look really familiar.”

“H-have you ever been to T-Texas?” I stammered, trembling under the gaze of the older man who looked like he could decimate me with one mighty Falcon-Punch.  Despite my discombobulation (Yeah!  Go _Word of the Day_ Calendar!), I was rational enough to know for a fact that there was no way I would’ve met Paul in the past seeing as how this was my first venture outside of Texas.  Even though my mom’s parents supposedly lived in Crescent City, she wrote them off as soon they’d shipped her off, refusing to have any kind of contact whatsoever.

Paul shook his head.  “Nope,” he murmured.  “You look familiar though, it’s the eyes.”  He reached up and brushed a warm finger along my orbital, making me flinch back instinctively.

Ignoring the frown on Paul’s face when I backed away, I thought about it for a little bit.  “Well, my mom used to live here and we have the same color eyes.”  I’ve actually been told that I have a lot of my mom’s physical traits, which kind of sucked when I was trying to act as masculine as possible in order to appear straight.

Paul’s jaw clenched in deep thought.  “What’s your mother’s name?” he asked, his voice low and calculating.

“Laura,” I answered.  Jonathan had mentioned that Paul and Mom knew each other and that the former bullied the latter.  So perhaps he was recalling his past victim and was considering continuing the trend… Oh no!

“Laura…” Paul muttered, furrowing his brow.  “Laura what?”

“Es—” my phone buzzed, interrupting me.  Darn it!  First I have to endure an awkward conversation with Paul and his cronies, and now I have to deal with my possessive ex on top of that? Why is life so hard sometimes? But then, I figured that Vincent could also be my saving grace.  I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and pretended to open up the text, putting on a fake frown.  “Oh, I gotta go.”

Again, Paul clenched his squared jaw; but he kept his mouth shut and scooted out of the booth, allowing me get up.  “Everything okay?” he questioned, using his low and adult-like voice that he’d used earlier with Ronnie.

“Um, y-yes,” I meekly said, feeling my entire face turn red under the scrutinizing glare of the older man.  “I, um, have to go to the office.  M-my stepdad just reminded me to pick up s-something there.”  That seemed like a believable lie.  I was new, after all.

Paul nodded, hopefully falling for my fib.  “Okay,” he mused, his brown eyes still boring into my skull, “well then, before you go, let me ask you: There’s this thing on Friday that a bunch of us go to every month, wanna come?”

“I don’t think I can go,” I winced.  There were two reasons why I declined Paul’s invitation.  The first was the obvious one: I didn’t want to get involved in any cult activity.  And the second was that Jonathan had told me that my curfew was ten, and I didn’t want to be in any hot water with him.

That familiar scowl made a comeback.  “No, you have to,” Paul ordered through clenched teeth.

My phone buzzed again, making me roll my eyes.  “My, uh, stepdad says I have to be home at a certain time,” I admitted.  Sure it would be nice to break out of my shell, but I didn’t want to break any rules and get kicked out of my house.  I suppose some may classify me as a goody-two shoes thanks to my rule-abiding attitude.

Paul let out a low throaty nose, like a dog’s growl.  “Darren,” he huffed, “you have to go.  That’s that.”

“I have to go?” I repeated, surprised that I was getting bossed around by this total stranger.

My phone buzzed agin, ugh.

“Yes,” Paul smirked, his cocky smile making me frown.  That man actually thinks that he can tell me what to do!  “I’ll swing by your house at seven and then we’ll go on that triple dinner date thing, and then go to the run.  Understand?”

Run? “I can make my own decisions—“

“Wear some good shoes.”

I was at a loss for words, having no idea how to piece together what was just happening.  Not only had Paul kinda-sorta asked me out on a date, he technically didn’t even ask!  He straight-up told me that he was going to take me out on a date!  And what was that cryptic thing that he had planned on Friday, and what did it have to do with running? Was he going to hunt me down in the forest? Or worse, was he going to take me jogging?!

That last thought made me shudder.

“So I’ll see you soon,” Paul smirked, “ _real_ soon.”  He began to lean forward slightly, his hand shooting out at an incredible speed and snatching my phone from my hand.  Because I wasn’t smart enough to put on a passcode onto my lock screen, Paul easily did whatever he was doing to my phone without hassle.

“Can I phone back, please?” I mumbled, feeling completely and utterly confused as to what exactly was going on in my life.  Where I come from, people don’t just grab other people’s phones… well, they do, but then it’s called “stealing”.

A little ping rang out and then stopped as Paul’s smirk grew larger.  “There, now we have each other’s number,” he grinned, handing me my phone back.

Oh God…

“Um… bye,” I muttered, shuffling my feet as fast as I could will them to move, promptly fleeing the diner so that I could get back to school and away from the creepy man.  Once outside, I scurried across the street, ignoring the screeching tires and honking of horns as I ran in front of oncoming vehicles.  I made it safely to the side that the high school was on untouched though.  Without looking back, I made my way inside the school, feeling safer there than anywhere in this whole town.  Curious, I looked at my phone that was still trapped in my clutches.  On it was a message from none other than Vincent: _I miss u baby! xoxo_

I internally gagged.  Wow, even halfway across the country, Vincent managed to ruin my life.  That has to be some sort of record-breaking feat or something.  I was also grateful that Paul didn’t read that for some odd reason.

I went to my locker to grab my books for the next class, groaning at the thought of the events that had just transpired. There was something wrong here, and I knew that Paul was the main culprit behind it.  And evidently, Ronnie and Lola were aware of it as well, but they seemed to be playing a role.  My brain wouldn’t shut up that the smartest thing to do would be to flee— but where? My mom was my only blood relative that I knew, and I had no job or money.  I was screwed.

Completely and utterly screwed.


	5. Mudshovel

“Mudshovel” - Staind

_I feel betrayed / Stuck in your ways / And you rip me apart / With the brutal things you say / I can’t deal with this shit anymore / I just look away_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

The rest of the day, I spent my time avoiding Ronnie and Lola like the plague.  Knowing them, although I have only for a few short hours, they would only want to ask me questions about how my solo time with Paul went.  There was no way that I would be able to tell them that he ordered me to go on a date with him without sort of having to come out of the closet.  Male x Male activity was strictly prohibited if I wanted to keep my secret locked away in the dark.

I knew that Ronnie was a senior (who had to take junior classes thanks to her lack of an attention span), so odds are that Lola is one as well.  Therefore, in the hall was the only place I’d have the chance of running into them.  Plus, they didn’t know where I lived, which was a major plus.  I had the sinking feeling that Ronnie had been texting Paul on our way to lunch, trying to set me up so that I’d be sucked into the cult.  Therefore, I had to keep my house’s location a secret unless I wanted that psycho to come knocking on my door.  No thank you!

My head was still spinning from the previous events that’d happened at lunch.  First, Paul shows up after he had given me the creeps while I’d been walking to school.  Then, he sits next to me, our bodies smack dab next to each other.  Third, he behaves all authoritarian-like to the girls, who just accept it.  And lastly, and certainly the part that makes me tense up the most: he said that he was going to take me out on a date.  That man was going to cause my sexuality to come into view here in Crescent City.  In a tiny town like this, it’s safe to assume that news, especially gossip, travels around fast.  Hence, it’d only be a matter of minutes before word got to Jonathan and he kicks me out of the house.  And all of that because of a cocky man named Paul, who just now became my enemy.

As soon as I get home, I need to do some research on Paul Martinez, that way I’ll know exactly what I’m up against.  Know thy enemy; everybody knows that phrase, so it has to hold some rationale to it.

The rest of the school day dragged on so slowly.  Almost every teacher asked me stand up at the front of the class and introduce myself.  And since it’s a small school, I pretty much repeated my mantra to the same faces over and over: “Hi, I’m Darren Estrada and I moved here from Texas.  I like learning.”  And just imagine that with a big, fake smile and terminally cheery attitude.  It made some of the students laugh.  On the bright side, there was no sign of Ronnie or Lola in any more of my classes.  When the bell rang after P.E., my last class of the day, I was all too eager to scurry on home.

I packed my stuff into my bag and made my way out of the school.  Once outside, I surveyed my surroundings.  There were only a few cars left in the parking lot, a majority of them in the faculty spots.  There were hardly any students to be seen, except for some that were wearing their track uniforms, jogging on the sidewalk in the opposite direction that I needed to walk in.  The sun was still trapped behind a thick layer of clouds and it was rather chilly with no sign of rain though.  Best of all: there was no sign of Paul!

Pulling my iPod out of my backpack, I began my walk home with an odd skip in my step.  I was in a happy mood, not having to put up with any of that weirdo’s attitude or strange delusions that I would go out on a date with him.  Perhaps he knew deep down that if he had asked like a sane person, I would have declined.  Hence, he went all authoritative on me.  I suppose some people may like that sort of stuff, having a man take charge… which is a little hot, to be honest.  But still!  I just met the dude and I was trying to not get thrown out on the streets!

I made my way into the gated community and into my house without any sighting of Paul, which was rather nice.  As soon as I walked inside, I saw Jonathan talking with some other man whom I didn’t recognize.

“Darren,” Jonathan said, waving at me with his large hands in order to get my attention.

I pulled my earbuds out.  “Yes, Sir?”

He gestured towards the old man who appeared to be in his seventies and wore a faded baseball hat along with khaki overalls over a waffle-knit shirt.  “This is Howie, my old man,” he introduced.

“Hey there,” Howie said, holding out a wrinkled hand for me shake.

“Nice to meet you,” I nodded, taking his hand in mine.

“What?” he asked, holding up his free hand to his ear.

“He’s almost deaf,” Jonathan shrugged.  “You gotta shout.”

“Nice to meet you!” I shouted, not used to having to raise my voice at another person.  Again, I’m very quiet and shy.  It’s a curse…

Howie smiled and nodded.  “Likewise,” he said.

Jonathan began to chuckle a little bit.  “Watch this,” he told me in a hushed voice, a devious smirk on his face.

I turned to look at him; the whole time I itched to ask him some questions about Paul, however Howie’s moving in would have to take priority over the conversation for now.

“Hey, Dad,” Jonathan whispered at a low volume that anyone with half a brain would know that Howie couldn’t hear, “you’re disgusting and I’ll punch you in your sleep.”

Howie didn’t make any indication that he’d heard, continuing to look around the house in admiration.

My face scrunched up in discomfort and a pang of guilt wrecked through me at the way Howie was treated by his son.

“Nice house you got here,” Howie whistled.  “This community wasn’t here back in my day.  I ‘member that it used to be nothing but wetlands.  Poor animals.”  He shook his head a little bit in disappointment.

“They moved somewhere else, Dad,” Jonathan sneered.  “Let me take you to your room.”  The two of them walked down the hall to where the downstairs bedroom was at near the back of the house.  It was right across from the laundry room, and with Howie’s poor hearing, I wouldn’t have to feel guilty for using the shaky dryer.

Then it hit me: Howie might know something about Paul or the Crescent City Cult.  I have no idea what my obsession with finding out more about Paul was.  I wanted to avoid him like he was leper, yet at the same time I was fascinated by him and the offhanded way he carried himself.  

And I couldn’t help but feel like… I don’t know, I could’ve sworn that there was something there.  I couldn’t quite describe it, but I think that Paul was picking up on it too in the diner when he’d scrunched up his face as he’d studied me.  There was some sort of entity that connected us in a way… I think.  I can’t really go to much into detail at the moment because I don’t even know.  It was like an inane feeling.

Regardless, Howie would be busy with unpacking and Jonathan would be by his side the whole time.  I didn’t want Jonathan jumping to any conclusions about my questions regarding Paul; therefore, I figured that it would be best if I asked Howie when he was alone.  But it would at least be a couple of hours until then.

After meeting Howie, I went upstairs to my bedroom to work on my homework.  Time flew by rather fast and soon enough I heard Jonathan’s strong fist banging against my bedroom door.  “Darren, dinner’s ready!” he called, stomping back down the stairs.

“Coming!” I responded, placing my notebook inside my textbook before closing it so that I wouldn’t lose my spot.  I was already almost done with my assignments for the week, which only served to highlight my lack of a life.  Perhaps I should do something (not Daddy-esque) with Ronnie and Lola in order to get out of the house every now and then.  After washing my hands, I went downstairs and took a seat at the small table across from Howie.

Jonathan set down a platter that had large steaks on it that were a little pink in the middle, making me grimace a little bit.  Still, food was food I guess.  He took a seat at the head of the table, immediately digging into the food on his plate.

“So,” Howie said in his gravelly and upbeat voice, “how was your first day at the high school, Darren?”

“It was nice,” I murmured, unsure if I should bring up the fact that I’d met Paul today or not.  Eyeing Jonathan from my peripheral, it looked like he was busy focusing on his steak than my words.  Maybe this was a good moment.  “I met a lot of nice people and made some friends already.  Like, Veronica, and Lola, and…” I chickened out.  “…Barry.”

He nodded.  “That’s cool,” he smiled, glancing over at his son.  “Poor Johnny over here never made a lot of friends.  In fact, he’d just come home after school and work out in the garage.  Remember that, Johnny?”

Jonathan grunted, narrowing his eyes at his father.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed about, Johnny,” Howie continued, getting really animated with his hands as he spoke.  “Some kids are more social than others.  It’s not a bad thing.”

I understood that one-hundred percent.  But still, I could visibly see Jonathan tense up at every syllable his father uttered, his chewing slowing down and his eyes staring daggers at the senior citizen.  A part of me felt like I should try to intervene and change the subject so that Howie wouldn’t be attacked by his short-fused son, but I was frozen in my seat.

“And Johnny, remember that one guy who always used to beat you up?” Howie asked, twirling his fork around as he struggled to recall Jonathan’s tormentor’s name.  “Paul? Yeah, that’s it.  Paul Martinez, remember him?”

Well, that sure was convenient.

I didn’t even have to bring up Paul myself because Howie seemed intent on doing so.  Apparently, Paul really was a mad man/bully, and Jonathan was one of his past victims.  Perhaps that was why Jonathan had seemed so irritated to see him the other day on the road.  Interesting.  

At the mention of Paul’s name, Jonathan set his fork down onto his plate with a loud clang.  “Dad!” he barked, making the old man jump.  “Paul Martinez is a fucking loser who never went anywhere in life.  Seriously, he got a girl pregnant in high school and then she ditched him, and now he has nobody.”  He leaned closer to his father’s pale, silent face.  “Nobody.”

I didn’t know what to do with that information.  I knew that Paul was shifty, but I didn’t know that he had a child out there somewhere.  And if Jonathan was telling the truth and there was a mini-Paul out there, then if my math was correct (and it usually is), then the kid would be around my age.  They’d possibly even be in my class… maybe it was Ronnie or Lola.  That would explain why they’d hang out with him.  But that wouldn’t explain why they’d call another man “Daddy” or why Paul would encourage that.  I was so confused, a sentence which was rapidly becoming my catchphrase.  Hi, I’m Darren and I’m confused (mentally and sexually, apparently).

I sat awkwardly at the table, my eyes switching between the pissed off Jonathan and the trembling Howie, feeling awful for the older man.  A part of me wanted to say something, but every time I parted my lips, nothing came out.  Unfortunately, I was well aware of the full extent to which Jonathan’s rage would go.  And memories of various whoppings and slaps with the belt made me flinch, rendering me useless.

“Darren!  Eat your damn food!” Jonathan spat, slamming his fist on the wooden table, making the dishes rattle on it.

“Y-yes, Sir,” I whimpered, taking a small bite of the food that was on my plate, trying to focus on anything expect for the hulking man glaring at me.  But my concentration was broken when I heard a low rumbling noise outside.

My first and foolish thought was that it was Paul’s motorcycle, making me tense up.  But the longer I listened, the more I was able to tell that it was… snarling? Since Howie’s hearing wasn’t the best, he was unaware of the reason why Jonathan and I looked at each other, confused.  The snarling grew louder and more ferocious, sending a shiver of fear down my spine.  It came from outside and sounded so loud and low that it must’ve belonged to some kind of giant animal, a bear maybe? The windows rattled a little bit and I inwardly thanked God that we had an alarm system that would alert the police if anyone or anything broke into the house.

Great, so just my luck.  There was a short-tempered and trigger-happy man inside the house, while there was some kind of beast that was rapid outside.  I really wish that I lived in the city again.  Back in El Paso, the most I had to worry about was the unending heat.

“Someone’s dog probably got loose,” Jonathan muttered, but I could tell by the color draining from his face that he was also freaked by the scary animal noises too.  “I’ll call Animal Control.”  He pulled his phone out of his pocket and began to dial the number.

The snarling stopped instantaneously, as if the animal could hear and understand us.  I shook that fear from my head; that was impossible.  But whatever animal it was that had been outside, certainly seemed pissed off, even more than Jonathan which was an incredible feat.

While Jonathan barked at the operator on the phone, Howie and I shared fearful looks, the two of us uneasy around the irate man.  The rest of dinnertime was spent in an awkward silence, Jonathan grumbling to himself while Howie and I silently ate our food.  The second my plate was clean, Jonathan cleared his throat.

“Why don’t you just go to your room, Darren?” he suggested, although I knew that it was really an order.  “I need to speak to my father, in private.”

I nervously glanced over at Howie who gulped loudly and looked at me with pleading eyes, afraid to be left alone with him son.  “A-are you sure?” I stuttered.  “I c-can help clear the table?”

Jonathan sharply exhaled and pinched the skin above his nose.  “Darren, what did I just tell you?” he sighed.

I shuffled in place, nervously twirling my fingers in front of me.  “I know, b-but I can help with the t-table,” I continued, sensing that Howie didn’t want to be left alone.  And as the only other person in the house, I figured that it was up to me to help him out.

Jonathan didn’t say anything.  Instead he tightened his lips and straightened his posture, his glaring eyes making me shrink back.  “Go to your room,” he growled, trying to keep his voice low so as not to scream, but his beet red face and throbbing forehead vein told me that he really wanted to kick my butt.

“Yes, Sir,” I whispered, looking over at Howie apologetically before scampering up the stairs to my bedroom.  The pit of stomach was in knots due to the fear and the guilt that wrecked my core.  As soon as my bedroom door was closed, I could hear the screaming of Jonathan at his father, but it were so wild and furious that I couldn’t even make out a single word.

I knew that there was nothing that I could personally do, so instead I whipped out my phone and dialed my mom, hoping that I could get her to call Jonathan to calm him down.

“ _Hi, you’ve reached Laura Estrada.  I’m not able to come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number, I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.  Bye!_ ”

Okay, so that didn’t work.  “Sorry, Howie,” I whispered, despite knowing that it was impossible for him to hear me.  Unfortunately, the only way it seems that I can survive is to abide by Jonathan’s rules, whether it be his curfew, his minuscule demands, or his rule about no gays in the house.  It sucked, no doubt about it.  It really made me feel alone, to be honest; especially with my mom too busy to answer the phone.

Once again, like I used to do a lot as a child, I imagined what it’d be like if I had my father in my life.  I’d most likely call him first whenever it was too scary to be around Jonathan, and then he’d come and rescue me, taking me to his house where I’d be safe and sound.  Man, if only.

My phone buzzed and I winced when I glanced at the screen.  Instead of a text from Vincent, it was a text from an unknown number: _Hey it’s Paul, r u ok?_

That was weird.  I knew that he had my number thanks to his ninja-like stealth moves in the diner, but I’d honestly expected a dick pic.  Instead, I got an inquiry about my well-being: something that I was nowhere near anticipating from the creepy man.

But still, I was too frazzled to even think about Paul, or Jonathan, or Vincent.  So I went back to my homework, ignoring the text altogether.


	6. Control

“Control” - BoA

_You don’t know me / I’m not who you think I am / You don’t own me / Your wish is not my command / You think you’re in control_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

I had trouble sleeping last night.  My mind was awash with worry regarding Howie and the way Jonathan was treating him.  I half-considered calling the police to have them come over and check up on him— pretending that there was an anonymous noise complaint.  However, I know that Jonathan would put two and two together; plus, Howie’s Jonathan’s dad.  Jonathan wouldn’t seriously injure his own flesh and blood, right? God, I hope not.

And when I’d finally managed to fall asleep, my dreams were plagued with a certain older man who looked incredibly sexy, but gave off odd vibes that made me wary.  It was frustrating.  What annoyed me the most was that, despite my desire to avoid Paul, I seemed to be unable to get him out of my mind.  

And I’ll be honest: Paul was extremely attractive, like on a cosmic level that was near-impossible to measure.  He had tan, non-blemished skin over thick muscles that seemed to bulge against whatever clothes he wore.  And he was so tall and broad, completely larger than me in every aspect.  And God, those eyes.  Those deep, chocolate eyes that fully demanded my undivided attention whenever they blessed me with their presence.  And I’ll also be upfront… I like older men.  Vincent was a year older than me, and that had totally boosted his points with me.  However, Paul’s in his thirties, making him old enough to be my dad.  Also, he seemed to be an alpha male, taking control of any situation and not accepting any bologna.  I liked that in a guy… but at the same time, I didn’t want them to get “Taking Charge” confused with “Being Bossy”, which had happened with my ex.  It was a fine line, and there was no doubt in my mind that Paul would cross it, especially after the milkshake fiasco with Ronnie.

Maybe I could skip school today, that way I could steer clear of Lola, Ronnie, and Paul.  But that probably wouldn’t work since Jonathan works at home and then I’d be stuck in close contact with him.  And after the events of last night, I didn’t want to be anywhere near that hothead.

“Darren?” Jonathan asked as he knocked on my bedroom door.  “Can you do me a favor?”

I glanced out the window, seeing the sun already peeking out of the clouds.  My alarm hadn’t gone off on my phone yet, so I knew that it was before seven.  “What is it?” I called from the sanctuary that was my mattress.

“I need you to go to the store and pick up some coffee creamer,” he said.  “I didn’t know that we were all out, and I’m kinda tired.”

“Okay,” I said, bouncing out of my bed.  I had just gotten my license last month, and like anybody who just accomplished that feat, I was eager to drive anywhere— even to the grocery store.  Jonathan drove an old minivan that was kind of too big for just three people, I thought.  However, now that Howie makes four, I suppose it could come in handy.  At least I could get an entire row all to myself if I sat in the very back.

I quickly showered and got dressed for school so that I could leave after I gave Jonathan the creamer.  Then I grabbed the keys from him and hurried outside.  I jumped into the driver’s seat and adjusted the seat and mirrors, turning the radio station down so that I could concentrate more on the road.  As I drove out of the community, I gradually gained a feel for how the van handled.  I really wanted to find a job here as soon as possible, that way, I could save up some money and buy my own car.  Then I could drive wherever and whenever I wanted.  And that way, Paul wouldn’t be able to follow me on my way to school.

There weren’t a lot of cars out on the road, probably because I was up before the morning rush.  The asphalt was dark with dew and I made sure to reduce my speed immensely (much to the annoyance of the vehicles behind me) whenever I made a turn.  Not even five minutes after being on the morning road, the rumbling of a motorcycle engine sounded from behind me.

No way!

I looked in my rearview mirror, wanting to shriek in agony as I saw Paul, two cars behind me, on his motorcycle.  There was no way he could have known that I’d be driving this van unless he saw me get into it.  And he wouldn’t have been able to see me get into the van unless he got inside the community.  And he wouldn’t have been able to get inside the community unless he watched me punch in the code.  And he wouldn’t have been able to watch me punch in the code unless he had been following me on my way home.  That freak!

Well, on the other hand, it wasn’t confirmed that he was following me just yet.  I mean, he could be going to a cult convention or something.

The lane split into two so that the faster cars could pass on the left.  Since I wasn’t too used to driving the van yet, I moved into the right lane, going a couple miles under the speed limit.  I wasn’t too sure where the grocery store was, but I had a vague idea; I kind of recalled seeing one the other day when we were driving up to the house for the first time.

I saw one car pass by, the driver texting someone.  And then the second one zoomed past.

Wait a minute… I glanced back into the mirror, seeing Paul directly behind me.  Sure enough, he was wearing that stupid smirk of his, obviously aware that I was the one driving the van.  He had to have been following me!  There’s no other explanation!

Paul merged over to the left land and sped up the littlest bit until he was right next to my window.  He smirked my way and made a circular motion with his right hand, telling me to roll down the window.  Now the way I see it, there are two ways that this can go down: 1). I can roll down the window and completely submit myself to Paul right here, right now.  Of course I can’t go through with that because that would out me in Crescent City and then forever make me appear subservient to Paul, which I’m willing to bet would go straight to his head.  Or, 2). I could just speed up and ignore him, going on with my plan to avoid him with every fiber of my being.  

Avoiding the problem was kind of my signature move.  Number Two it is then.  

I floored the gas pedal and sped away from my new stalker, eventually pulling into the grocery store parking lot and parking near the back.  That way, in case an argument broke out or Paul tried to get grabby, then the other patrons wouldn’t be able to see.  I turned the van off, internally screaming when I saw Paul pull into the space adjacent to the passenger side.  He switched his motorcycle off, leaning over the handlebars, his gaze fixed on me, that irritating smirk making a hated comeback yet again.

Ugh, just get this over with, I thought.  I hopped out of the van, tunneling my vision on the store entrance at the other end of the semi-vacant parking lot.

“So why didn’t you answer my text last night, Baby?” Paul cooed from behind me.

I froze in my steps, turning around to see that smug jerk sitting atop his motorcycle.  He wiggled his eyebrow in a way that I guess was meant to be sexy.  When he noticed my eyes locked on him, it appeared like he took in a puff of air, inflating his already-large chest in order to look even bigger, his muscles straining against the poor fabric.

“What did you call me?” I gasped, worriedly looking around to make sure that no one else had heard him.

“Well,” Paul smirked, folding his arms over his broad chest, “I called you ‘Baby’.  It’s a term of endearment that most couples use.  Therefore, Darren, you are my baby.”

Eww!  My face scrunched up in disgust at the sheer mentioning of us being an item, and I swear that I almost barfed all over the place.  “We’re not a couple,” I pointed out.

Paul’s smirk disappeared and his breathing grew hard.

“And,” I continued, “I’m not gay.”  As soon as it left my lips, I could feel my ears grow hot and red with the blatant lie I’d told.  It kind of looked like Paul could tell that it was a lie as he bit on his lower lip with thought.  

He knew, I panicked.  Oh no, he knew that I was gay.  And he could tell anyone and get me kicked out of my house thanks to Jonathan’s homophobia.  Oh, God no.

“Darren,” Paul said, knitting his eyebrows together and all cockiness eliminated from his voice which was instead… comforting and smooth, “it’s okay to be—“

“I have to go,” I interrupted, spinning around on my heels and literally sprinting inside the grocery store, pumping my arms in order to keep up my speed.  As soon as I was inside the grocery store, out of breath from running, the cashier eyed me like I was crazy, but shrugged me off and went back to staring at her phone.

Needing to ignore Paul lest I get an aneurism, I focused on locating the coffee aisle.  The store was a small one since there was no way that a tiny town like Crescent City needed a supermarket, but none of the aisles had signs that listed their contents, making me feel lost.  Darn it, my mind was too busy trying to piece together the trampled fragments of my life right now.  I didn’t have time for a treasure hunt for coffee creamer— I don’t even like coffee!  With all the things regarding Jonathan and Paul, I was getting impatient to just go back and hide in my comfortable shell where I wouldn’t have to deal with anybody or anything.

As funny as it sounds, I was beginning to like being anti-social.  I used to hate it as a child, wishing that I had the nerve to speak up and talk to people in order to make new friends.  However, as I grew older (and after I met Vincent), I’ve come to learn that people are inherently evil.  I was better off alone.

I was about ready to give up and just grab a jug of milk when I spotted an employee restocking some produce. 

“Excuse me?” I asked him, quietly walking up and feeling my face grow warm with timidness.

“Yeah?” the employee asked, turning to face me.  Needless to say, he was pretty hot.  That was all that needed to be said.  That man was hot.  He had his blond hair in a buzzcut with some stubble sprinkled around his strong and square jaw.  His blue eyes looked at me warmly, the smoking ice making me forget all about the weirdo outside.  He was around my height and a little chunkier, which was nice since I liked my man with meat on his bones.  When he caught my eye, he flashed a smile my way, but not a cocky smile like Paul’s, but a genuinely kind one that actually reached his eyes.

“I was wondering if you could help me find the cream?” I asked.

“Well, I’d say that’d be a euphemism for a certain something,” the man chuckled, crossing his arms in front of his smaller-than-Paul’s chest.

The color drained from my face.  Wow, I feel stupid.  “Uhh,” I groaned, not really sure what to say in a moment like this.  “I meant coffee creamer, please.”

The man laughed once again, tears forming in his eyes.  “Well, if you’d just asked for my number, I would’ve given it to you,” he giggled.  “You’re pretty cute.”

“No, I was just asking— wait, really?” I blurted, a little unsure if he was being honest or playing a prank on me.  Vincent had frequently mentioned that I was on the lower spectrum of looks, and hence it would be difficult for me to secure a partner.  He was kind of right since I had some acne scars and my ribs showed when I took off my shirt.

The man looked me up and down, biting on his lower lip.  “Oh, absolutely,” he smiled.  “I’m Caleb.”

“Um, Darren,” I replied, feeling a little uncomfortable.  I’d totally just escaped a dude that was hitting on me outside only to run into one inside.  Although, in his defense, I was kind of clueless and stupid to ask for help with cream.  I nervously glanced around the store, happy to note that the other patrons were unaware of me being the recipient of a man’s flirting.

“So, I could help you pick out some cream and then we could go over to my place and I can show you how to use it,” Caleb said, doing the same eyebrow wiggle-thingy that Paul had done outside.  Maybe it was a regional mating ritual?

“Oh, um, no thank you,” I blushed, feeling immensely uneasy under the lustful eyes of the man.  I couldn’t quite explain it, but it felt… wrong? Yeah, wrong.  It felt wrong for me to accept another man’s proposal for a date or hook-up.  In fact, the only way it’d feel right was if it were from… someone else who shall not be named.  *Cough, Paul!  Plus, who in the world straight-up asks someone out after five seconds of talking about coffee creamer?!

Caleb mock frowned, over exaggerating this lower lip pouting.  “Aww, sad face,” he teased.  “C’mon, Darren, I’ll be good to you.  Whaddya say?”

I was about to turn Caleb down, really I was.  I knew deep down that I could never date anyone right now.  At least not until I move far away and am not financially dependent on my parents.  However, I never got the chance to answer.

A heavy arm dropped itself onto my shoulders with enough force to make my knees buckle under its power.  It then pulled me into a hot body, the temperature definitely from rage as the frame shook with an anger that I’ve never seen before in my life.  Paul had me in his grip, looking pretty dang terrifying as his cold eyes shot daggers at Caleb, who looked about ready to mess himself.  Paul’s breathing grew labored and hard, huffing through clenched teeth.  His grip on me grew tighter as he tried to mold us into one entity.

“This one’s mine!” he snarled at Caleb, baring his large and jagged teeth at him.  What?!

Caleb held his hands up in surrender.  “Sorry, Martinez!” he stuttered, slowly backing away.

Paul only continued to make growling, pissed off noises at the petrified man.  “Mine!” he barked again, wrapping his other arm around me to punctuate his point.

“Yeah, yours,” Caleb said before turning around and running off.

Paul kept his hold on me and literally dragged me out of the grocery store like a sack of potatoes, the other customers watching with wide eyes.  However, none of them tried to stop Paul or even say anything.  Gee, thanks a lot guys!

“Where are you taking me?” I frantically asked Paul as he ushered me through the parking lot.  This is it, I thought, Paul is going to kidnap me and then kill me in some cult ritual.  Wow, and I didn’t even make it three days in Crescent City.  I hate my life.

“I’ll just have to show you,” Paul growled, not looking down at me.

“Show me what?” I cried.  Oh God, he was going to show me his knife collection or some rabid animal that he would feed me to— I just know it!

“I just have to step up my game,” he grunted.  “Get ready Darren, because like it or not, in two days’ time right after the run, you will submit to me.”

Run? Submit? “What are you talking about?” I demanded, gradually gaining my footing so that I could yank myself out of my captor’s hold.  Paul let go of my torso, except he kept a strong hold of my left wrist, refusing to give me up entirely.

Paul’s smirk formed again and he leaned down closer to my face.  “You will be all mine,” he grinned.

“What are you talking about?” I snapped, trying (and failing) to yank my wrist from his grip.

“Oh, Baby,” he laughed, “you see, no one is able to resist the Martinez Charm, and my baby, you are going to get it full on.  So be prepared to be all mine.”

Paul was delusional if he actually believed that I would submit to him in two days’ time.  In two days it would be Friday, the day that I had tentatively agreed to attend the double date when I had only discussed it with Ronnie and Lola.  Of course the logical thing to do would be to back out of the excursion, however, a piece of my mind told me that would be the coward’s way out.  I had already taken the coward’s path by breaking up with Vincent via text, so I didn’t want to repeat that same mistake with Paul.  It was a pride issue. 

Paul looked at me expectantly, his hold still latched onto my wrist.  “Well?” he asked.  “Have anything to say, Baby?”

Ugh, there was that nickname he gave me that sent a bolt of anger throughout me.  I wasn’t his baby!  It’s time to engage in Operation Get Rid of Martinez.  “No,” I spat.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to buy some coffee creamer.”  This was technically Jonathan’s fault, just sayin’.

Paul growled, kind of like a dog.  He tugged on my wrist, making me stumble into his hard body.  “How about I escort you?” he sneered, quickly moving his hand from my wrist to in between my fingers, making it look like we were a happy couple holding hands out in public.

“I can do it myself,” I snorted, trying once again to yank myself out of his hold.  Yet again, it was no use as Paul was significantly stronger than me.

“Let me reiterate,” Paul said, “I _am_ going got escort you, end of discussion.”  With that, he pulled on my hand, leading the way back towards the grocery store.

No!  If I go inside the store holding hands with Paul Martinez, then I’d be outed to all of Crescent City!  I tried to yank my hand out of Paul’s grasp, each time earning a growl from the stronger man who began to rub his thumb up and down my fingers in what I suppose was meant to be a calming gesture.  Paul’s sunglasses hung from his shirt collar and I briefly considered wearing them and pretending that I was blind, using Paul as a seeing eye dog.  However, I’m a horrible actor, so that’d probably fail.  

“Paul,” I hissed, “let go.”

We were getting closer and closer to the sliding doors, the customers in the front of the store already able to see us.  Thinking quickly, I picked up my pace and moved my body a little closer to Paul’s, positioning our hands behind us that way people would just think we have boundary issues and are not holding hands.  I even tried digging my nails into Paul’s skin, but that didn’t seem to bother him at all.

The doors slid open and Paul led me inside.  The other customers didn’t look our way, too busy concentrating on themselves than to notice the bad boy and the new kid together in public.  Once again, I gave a pathetic attempt to tear myself away.

“If you don’t stop trying to get away from me, I’ll shove my tongue down your throat right now for everyone to see,” Paul whispered in my ear.  That was a little uncalled for…

Immediately I stopped trying to pull away and desperately commanded my body to go limp.  I told myself to behave and just play along for now, and then later I could make my escape when there are not any other people around.  At least Jonathan was at home with Howie, so he couldn’t see this.

“Good boy,” Paul cooed.  Did he just say that? Dang, this man all of a sudden has some big balls to be talking to me like this!  He was crazy, and there’s something seriously wrong with this entire situation.  Paul has no right to be telling what to do, acting as if I should listen to his every command.  And part of me shouldn’t be obeying…

“If this is what you’re talking about when you said ‘Martinez Charm’, I must say that I’m disappointed,” I muttered.  Honestly though, I had expected flowers, candies, and Paul behaving in a gentlemanly way— not forced contact and possessive behavior.  Who on Earth would be turned on by this? I mean, sure, it was hot to see a man who knows what he wants and does anything to get it, but I didn’t want that desired object to be me!

Paul chuckled to himself as he led us back to the coffee aisle.  There was no sign of Caleb, poor guy.  “You just wait and see what I have in store for us later,” Paul laughed.

That sent chills down my spine.  I was quiet the rest of the time as Paul searched the aisle for coffee creamer.  He grabbed the cheapest bottle: the generic store brand that looked like it lacked any flavor at all.

I pursed my lips, letting him silently guide me over to the cashier.  The woman rang us up without saying a word as to why we were holding hands.  When she had first saw us, her eyes darted between Paul and me and she shrugged to herself, but then let it drop after that.  Paul wound up paying for Jonathan’s coffee creamer, and then he escorted me out of the store and through the parking lot over to where we had parked.

“There,” Paul said, finally letting go of my hand which was red and sweaty.  “Was it that bad?”

“I’ve had better,” I muttered under my breath.

“With who?” Paul snarled, his fists clenching and his jaw setting.

“None of your business,” I smirked, grabbing the van’s keys out of my pocket.  It made me a little happy to put him in his place, even if it was on a microscopic level.  Paul folded his arms and watched as I hopped into the vehicle, turning the keys in the ignition.

But nothing happened.  There was no sputter or anything.  The keys turned, but there was no noise and the van didn’t start up.

“What did you do?” I cried, accusingly glaring at Paul.

Paul failed at looking innocent.  He tried to stop smirking, but it was no use.  I knew that he had to be behind this somehow.  Worst of all: I was driving the only vehicle my family had, so I couldn’t call anyone to come pick me up.  Why does my life suck so much?

“Would you like a ride home?” Paul asked, patting the seat of his motorcycle.  Since I don’t know much about cars or anything, there wasn’t much that I could say about Paul’s motorcycle.  It was small and looked kind of old.  It kind of had those long-horn looking handlebars, but not as long as I’ve seen others have.  It was blue, but had some rust on it from wear and tear.

“There’s no way I’m getting on that thing,” I scoffed.  First off, I’ll die, and secondly, I’d have to hold onto Paul in order to stay on.  There’s just no way either of those are happening today.  I hopped out of the minivan and began to walk through the parking lot towards the sidewalk.

I heard Paul start his motorcycle and make his way over to me, riding alongside where I walked.  “Where are you going?” he asked, actually sounding a little concerned.  Whatever.

“Home,” I curtly said.  I continued on my way, finally on the sidewalk.  The store was roughly a mile and a half away from my house, so it would be a while before I got there.  Therefore, I’d definitely be a little late getting to school.  And I had no idea what to tell Jonathan regarding the van.  Ugh.  He was going to be pissed.

“Darren!” Paul barked, riding on the road alongside me.  Unfortunately, I was walking with traffic, so he had no trouble staying with me.  “There are things in this area that aren’t exactly… safe.  So all joking aside, jump on and let me take you to school.  I can drop the creamer off at your house for you.”  At the mentioning of my house, Paul’s concerned face contorted into a mixture of disgust and fury for a brief second.

“No thanks,” I mumbled.  There was no way that I’d ever let Paul take me to school on his motorcycle where all of the kids could see me and him together.  Besides, Jonathan made it clear that he hated Paul, hence if I allowed Paul to go to my house with the creamer all by himself, then I’d have to deal with my stepdad’s wrath over both that and the minivan.

Paul unleashed a low growl.  He looked like he was about to explode on me, his face red with rage and his teeth clenched.  However, he closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths, the color in his face returning.  He then looked at me with pleading eyes, which I could tell were sincere.  I’ve never seen this part of Paul before, although I have personally known him for less than forty-eight hours.  This time in his deep brown eyes, I saw what looked like need and genuine concern for my well-being.  There was absolutely zero percent of cockiness in his expression.  “Darren,” he pleaded, “please.”

Despite my current dislike of him, Paul’s worry actually pulled at my heartstrings and I felt myself cave in.  Darn it.  “Fine,” I huffed.  “But only to my house, nowhere else.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.  “What about school?”

No!  Jonathan was tired, so he’d most likely be asleep in bed and therefore wouldn’t see us coming.  However, school was filled to the brim with talkative teenagers who would spill the beans immediately.  “Home,” I repeated.  “No where else.”

“Fine,” Paul sighed, stopping the motorcycle and putting his hazard lights on so that the cars behind him would just go around.  He took the coffee creamer from me and set it in his lap— I can’t wait to hear what joke he has about that.  “So just swing your leg over the bike and hold onto me as tightly as you can.”

I climbed onto the bike, my heart speeding up as fast as it could.  My hands began to shake and images of me falling off the bike and getting skinned on the asphalt flickered in my overactive imagination.  My breathing grew labored and I could feel a cold sweat break out on my forehead.

“Hold onto me,” Paul ordered, not noticing the mini-freak out that I was having.

But what if someone saw us on the same bike, saw me with my arms wrapped around his body? Oh God, I couldn’t do this.  My body was trembling with a combination of fear and the powerful engine that shook the frame of the dainty bike.

“Baby?” Paul asked, sensing my apprehension.  “You okay?”

“Paul,” I whimpered in a shaky voice, “I gotta be honest here.  I’m pretty terrified of riding this thing.”

Paul shut off the motorcycle and twisted his torso to face me.  “Really?” he asked.  I hoped that the road wasn’t busy so that we wouldn’t get honked at just sitting in the middle of the street all because I was too afraid to ride a motorcycle.  I wanted to look behind me, but was far too embarrassed to do so.

I nodded, answering Paul’s question.  “I’ve never been on one before.”

“Really?” Paul chuckled a little bit.  “Your daddy never took you on a bike with him?”

“I never met my dad,” I admitted, my jaw beginning to tremble with apprehension as well.

Paul’s eyebrows rose and then he thought for a second.  “…you never met him…”

A car behind us honked its horn impatiently.

Paul perked up and cleared his throat.  “Okay, well, here’s what you do,” he instructed.  He took both of my arms and positioned them around his midsection.  “You hold onto me tightly and just lean when I lean.”

I nodded, too scared to say anything.  If I fall off this thing, then I’ll either be deformed or killed.  Hopefully the second one; I’m already ugly enough.

Paul started the motorcycle back up, patting both of my hands with one of his.  “Don’t worry,” he said, having to raise his voice so that I’d hear him, “Daddy won’t let anything bad happen to his baby, ever.”

Uhh… what?

The motorcycle began to slowly move forward.  I shut my eyes and shoved my face into the back of Paul’s leather jacket.  The aroma of pine and musk permeated my senses as I hid there.  Every time I felt Paul shift his weight to one side of the bike, I made sure to lean with him, our bodies moving in synchronicity.  His powerful chest muscles squirmed underneath the thin fabric of his undershirt, allowing my fingers to feel every contour of them.  He sure was built, no wonder why he was so much stronger than me in the store when he’d held my hand.  Every couple of seconds, he would pat my hands with his in a gesture to tell me that everything was alright.

It was all too confusing.  Here I was, holding onto Paul Martinez: a known bad boy in Crescent City whom I had previously sworn to avoid like the plague.  I’ve only personally known him for two days, and already he’s caused me much annoyance to which I’ve wanted to strangle him.  And yet, at the end of it all, he’s comforting me and giving me a ride home.  Why would he act all stalkerish, then cocky, and now all caring? It made no sense at all, and I planned on asking him as soon as he cuts the motorcycle engine.

I felt the bike come to a stop and then heard the screeching of metal against metal.  I opened my eyes and lifted my head to see that Paul had pulled up to the entry gate of the Community and had already punched in the code.  How did he know the code? He entered the Community, sticking to the correct route to my house up until he pulled up into the driveway.  How did he know which house was mine?

Paul turned the motorcycle off and faced me.  “Here we are,” he announced.  He then saw my puzzled expression.  “What?”

“How do you know where I live?” I asked.  I hopped off this bike, my legs feeling wobbly and weak.

Paul put the kickstand down and got off as well.  “Don’t worry about that,” he shrugged, handing me the grocery bag.  “Want me to wait so I can give you a lift to school?”

“Why?” I practically whined.

“What do you mean?” Paul wondered, genuinely looking puzzled.  “It’s important for kids to go to school, I thought.”

Well, he had me there.  “We just meet, okay?” I explained.  “And already you’re acting all… bossy, I guess.  And then all of a sudden, during my time of need, you give me a ride home.  So you order me around and then help me out.  I don’t understand your motive, that’s all.”

Paul looked down at his shoes and then back up at me, pursing his full lips.  “Isn’t it obvious, Darren?” he asked.  “I mean really, why would anyone do that to another person?”

I thought for a second and took a quick look around my block.  No one else was outside their house, probably already at work.  I shrugged.  “I dunno.  They’re probably just bored and like picking on the new kid,” I answered.

“Truth is, _Baby_ ,” Paul smirked, fingering the stubble on his chin as he spoke, “I’m very adept at reading people, and I know exactly who you are.  You, Darren, are the kind of person who wants love, but is also afraid of it at the same time.  And I’m here to set that inner person free.  To let him see how great love can be.  And you’re gonna let me.”

My mouth hung low and I just about flung myself inside the house in order to disappear; yet my feet refused to move.  This dude just went from zero to a million in a matter of minutes.  This had to be some sort of prank, right?

“So,” Paul continued, “I’m going to say this right here, right now so that you understand my intentions.”  He stalked closer to me until his mouth was perfectly lined up with my ear.

His hot breath sent shivers down my spine, and I could even feel myself get a little hard despite my tension.  This hunk of a man completely dwarfed me, and did as he had said, read me like a book.  I do want love, more than anything in the world.  But thanks to Jonathan and Vincent, it also terrifies me.

“I won’t rest until you’re mine,” Paul whispered.  Then he closed the distance and gave me a quick peck on the cheek, his stubble prickling my skin at the slight touch.  When he leaned back, my skin still tingled from where his smooth lips had left it, leaving an odd fluttery feeling in my chest.  Dang, even when Vincent and I had kissed, I’d never experienced that feeling.

I jerked back and took a couple steps away from the older man.  “I… uh…” I struggled to say anything.  My brain felt as if it had turned into mush at the littlest touch from Paul.  Everything about him seemed to be burned into my physical memory— his lips left a tingling on my cheek, my body was still warm from when I’d held onto him while on the motorcycle, and even my hand was still staticky from when he’d held it in the grocery store.  

I shouldn’t be having these sensations over a man!  He was going to ruin everything!

“I’m not gay,” I repeated, taking another step back away from him.  “And… and I’d appreciate it if you leave me alone, p-please.”  Harsh, yes.  But I really needed to protect myself from Jonathan’s wrath, and pushing Paul away was the best solution that I could come up with.  Plus, it’d also boost my sanity a bit as well.

Paul, however, didn’t share the same thought process as me.  Instead, his eyes… flickered yellow?! He unleashed a low growl that rivaled his bike’s rumble, and he bared his teeth in my direction.  His mighty, muscled-up chest heaved with deep and angry breaths.  Paul looked straight-up pissed off, ready to tear my head off.

It was terrifying.

I let out an unconscious whimper, taking a scared step back, reaching for the door knob to my house.

As soon as I displayed any ounce of fear, Paul let out a yelp… like a puppy.  What, was he part-dog or something? He jerked back and his features melted from intimidating to all concerned and apologetic, knitting his eyebrows together and holding his beefy hands up in surrender.  “I’m sorry, Baby!” he rushed, his voice taking on that familiar quality that sounded like he was speaking to someone much younger than I was.  “Daddy didn’t mean to scare his baby!”

Eww!  What the—? “What are you talking about?” I demanded, using a small voice, my hand firmly on the doorknob in case he lashed out.  “Why are you referring to yourself as ‘Daddy’? And why are you talking like that to me? And to Ronnie for that matter?” There were a bunch of questions that filled my head, and they all seemed to burst out in this moment thanks to my irritation and discomfort.

Paul shook his head.  “I could tell you right now, but I don’t want to scare you away,” he admitted, turning back to his motorcycle.  He threw one leg over it, pausing to look back at me with large eyes.  “But, I can tell you the easy part, only if you promise me something.”

What?! There was no way on Earth that I’d promise this man a thing!  “I’m fine then,” I muttered, opening the front door and sliding inside.  I slammed it shut behind me and did the bolt, resting my back against the cool wood.  I stayed there until I heard the older man sigh and the motorcycle start back up.  For a while, the sound lingered, indicating that Paul was waiting in my driveway, perhaps expecting me to come outside and promise him that cryptic promise that he’d wanted earlier.  I must admit that a piece of me was curious as to what he wanted to ask of me, but after everything that had occurred in the past couple of days, it was probably some nasty sex act.  

Soon, however, the rumbling grew fainter and fainter until it was gone completely.  Huh, I should be happy— but instead, I felt an instantaneous pang of loneliness inside me as soon as the motorcycle’s growling had disappeared.  Whatever, I didn’t sleep well last night.  That was probably it.

“Darren?” Jonathan called from the kitchen, snapping me out of stupor.  “What took you so long?”

Oh no!  How was I going to explain the minivan to him? “Sir,” I called, my knees buckling with anxiety from the van and Paul, “the van wouldn’t start up, so a stranger offered me a ride home.”

“What?!” Jonathan roared.  

I could hear him slam the newspaper down onto the counter and storm out into the hallway where I was.  His wild and crazy eyes drilled holes into my core and I felt myself shrink back against the door, holding the grocery bag that contained his coffee creamer in front of me like a shield.

“I’m s-sorry, Sir,” I winced, half-wishing that I’d accepted Paul’s offer to drive me to school.  Dang it, I was in so much trouble, without a doubt.

“Well,” Jonathan sneered, crossing his arms in front of his chest, leaning into me in an intimidating manner, “what the fuck happened?”

I had to come up with a fake story as to how the van wouldn’t work and how I managed to get home.  It started with the van not starting up after a totally normal grocery store excursion with absolutely no weirdness involved at all.  Then as I was struggling to start up the van, a totally nice family who was God-fearing as they had a rosary hanging from their rearview mirror, offered me a ride home.  I accepted and they drove me back home, and I thanked them with the promise of helping their teenage daughter with her English homework.  

Jonathan was extremely irritated, and he grumbled to himself the entire time he fished out his cell phone from its hiding place to call people he knew to give him a lift to the grocery store so that he could fetch the van.  Eventually, he found someone and left, only to return not even fifteen minutes later with an annoyed look on his face.

“Apparently the battery got disconnected somehow,” Jonathan spat a soon as he stormed back into the house.  “How the fuck did you manage to do that one?”

I shrugged, although I’m willing to bet that Paul had a hand in this.  “I hit a pothole on my way to the store?”

Jonathan shook his head, pinching the skin above his nose.  “No, someone would have had to have opened up the hood and physically pulled the connector off the battery,” he huffed.  “So, who did it, Darren?”

My heart began to speed up as I struggled to think up an excuse.  There was no way that I could tell him that Paul had disconnected the battery so that he could give me a ride home.  I could feel my face burning up and my throat seemed to tighten as I felt as if I’d vomit under my stepdad’s terrifying glare.  “I don’t know,” I almost whispered so low that I had trouble hearing.

Jonathan took a deep breath, his chest heaving with rage.  “Go to your room,” he snarled, refusing to look me in the eye.  He ran an angry hand through his short hair, his limbs trembling as he struggled to maintain his composure.  So far, I’ve seen Vincent, Paul, and Jonathan mad at me— and wow, Jonathan was nightmare-inducing with his reddening skin and twitching fists.

“B-but I have to go to school,” I whimpered, taking an unsure step towards the front door.  I didn’t even have my backpack with me, but I just wanted to get out of the house and away from Jonathan’s fury as soon as I could.  Shoot, gun to the head, I’d pick Vincent over him without any hesitation.  And I’d pick Paul over the both of them in a heartbeat.  And worst of all: I found myself foolishly wanting to call Paul to come to help me; I even considered yelling out his name, believing that he’d hear me somehow.  Even if he could, I literally closed the door on him.  He won’t give two cares about me after that.

“I said ‘Go to your room’!” Jonathan roared, grabbing a handful of my sweater in his large hands and shoving me towards the stairs.  

I stumbled over towards the staircase, but Jonathan pushed too hard and I lost my footing, topping over across the bottom step— CRACK!

Oh crud… I heard it, Jonathan heard it.  The room was filled with tense silence as I painstakingly turned over onto my butt, holding up my left arm in front of me, the arm that I’d landed on after being pushed onto the stairs.  My arm had a sickening curve to it, the lower part jutting out the opposite way from my elbow which was already beginning to swell up to the size of a tennis ball.  I could see Jonathan’s pale face from beyond my boomerang-like arm, his mouth dropping wide.

“Fuck,” he hissed, starting to pace up and down the hall.  “Don’t you know how to fucking walk?”

I was speechless, my eyes refusing to move from my mangled limb.  I was shocked that I didn’t feel any pain… like at all.  In the past, whenever Vincent had shoved me, my body was wrecked with so much pain that sometimes I’d just curl up into a ball and cry for a while.  But now, my arm felt all numb and tingly, most likely from the shock of what had just happened.

_Tell Daddy, he’ll protect you_ , a voice inside my brain said.  What the hell…? Where did that come from? And who was “Daddy”? I didn’t even know my father, so it couldn’t be him since I didn’t even have a clue how to get a hold of him!

“Everything okay?” I head Howie ask from the kitchen.  “I heard a tumble.”  He strolled into the hallway, sporting a large black eye on the left side of his face… oh God.  When his non-swollen eye landed on me, the color drained from his face and he looked over at his son, appalled.

“Shut up, Dad!” Jonathan spat, despite his father not uttering a single syllable.  He rushed over towards me, snatching the back of my sweater in his claws and yanking me up to my feet.  “Let’s go to the hospital.”

I allowed myself to be dragged out of the house by my sweater, struggling to keep up with Jonathan’s fast-paced walk.  My brain was still unable to piece together what was happening, forbidding me to have a normal freak out like any rational person.  Instead, I was reduced to a near-comatose state: sitting silently, my eyes superglued to my arm that was turning a purplish-yellow color.

_Tell Daddy_ , the voice urged.

What was that all about?

Jonathan started up the van and floored the gas pedal down the street.  “If you tell anyone about this,” he spat, pointing a large finger in my face, “I’ll… I don’t even know yet, but dammit Boy, it’ll hurt a hell of a lot worse than this.”

“Y-yes, Sir,” I whimpered, my numb body at least able to comprehend a threat.  This was bad.  I had to somehow get a hold of Mom and convince her to get me out of this place.  I had to call her at the hospital when Jonathan wasn’t around.  That way, I could perhaps get him in trouble and then leave.  Then I’d be free of him, Vincent, and Paul.

_No, tell Daddy_ , the voice demanded, growing more insistent.  _Daddy will protect you._

What was going on with my life?


	7. Hidden Place

“Hidden Place” - Björk

_Through the warmest / Cord of care / Your love was sent to me / I’m not sure / What to do with it / Or where to put it_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

“You’re going to have to be more careful,” the doctor told me, scribbling notes down on a prescription pad for some painkillers.  “I can’t tell you how many kids I get in here every week, breaking their bones from skateboarding.”

“Yeah,” Jonathan piped in, narrowing his icy eyes at me, “probably shouldn’t be skateboarding anymore, right Darren?”  I knew that he was actually referring to me not taking immediate directions from him.

“Yes, Sir,” I mumbled, wincing as I stared down at my embarrassing cast.  Since we went to Crescent City’s brand new hospital that was still part-way under construction, they didn’t have a lot of gauze for the cast, leaving just hot pink, making it look like my arm had gotten stuck in a cotton candy machine.  So much for looking like a straight dude— not that pink automatically equates to gay.  I’d rather have just plain white, or even blue.  But no, instead I got stuck with hot, burning pink.  And worse than that, showing up to school with a cast on my left arm will only serve to brighten the spotlight on me.  Darn it.

The doctor cocked his eyebrow at us, but shook his head.  “Okay, um, because of the way the bone was fractured, you can expect a lot of pain while it mends, so I’ve prescribed you a painkiller that contains a narcotic,” he explained, handing me a small piece of yellow paper.  “When you take it, it may make you a little… um, loopy.  So no driving while you take it.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Jonathan muttered, clapping a large hand on my shoulder, a little too hard.  “Darren doesn’t even have a license.”  Okay, so I guess I lost my driving privileges.

“Sure,” the doctor mused, rubbing the back of his neck.  “Um, well, give me a call if you have any questions.  And we’ll see you in a few weeks to see how the bone’s setting.”

“Okay, thank you,” I mumbled, hopping off the examination bed, my legs still wobbly from the painkiller they’d given me when I’d arrived.  This sucked.  I’ve never broken a bone before in my life.  Even when I was with Vincent, I’ve never sustained a significant injury like this.  At most, all he’d given me was a black eye and the occasional bruise to my ego.  However, Jonathan totally took the cake with this.  Never before had any of our arguments become physical.  I knew that Jonathan had an anger issue, but I’d apparently been unaware as to the extent to which it dove.  It was terrifying, honestly.  With Howie’s black eye and my broken arm, it was becoming increasingly obvious that I wasn’t safe in my own home.  Unfortunately, I had nowhere else to go.

I followed behind Jonathan as we left the examination room, cutting through the emergency room that we’d entered in when he drove me here.  As soon as we were out in the crowded room, the sliding glass doors opened and two EMTs rushed a person on a gurney inside, pushing through the crowd of people.

“Got another one!” one of them shouted to the nurse at the desk.

“Damn,” the nurse hissed to herself, shoving herself out of her chair to go open the doors to let the gurney go to the back.

As the EMTs wheeled the gurney passed Jonathan and me, I could barely make out the pale figure of a girl who was deathly white, with blood gushing out of a bite mark on her neck.  What the—?!

I took a step back, accidentally bumping into my stepdad behind me, who snickered.

“Looks like she got attacked by a vampire, right?” he chuckled.  Man, he has a dark sense of humor.

I didn’t even say anything to him.  The body looked sheet white and I doubted that the girl was even still alive, making my breathing go shallow.

We exited the hospital, me having a hard time keeping up with Jonathan’s long strides thanks to my drugged-up state.  I was still coherent, but when I turned my head to the side, it felt as if it took a while for my eyes to catch up, making me feel as if I were on a Tilt-A-Whirl.  I began to giggle a little bit, turning my head side to side as if I were at an amusement park.  I was so enthralled in my drug-induced fun that I barely even took notice of the sound of construction workers and tools in the background.  When we’d first arrived at the hospital, it looked like it was undergoing some renovations— that, or it was still under construction due to part of it being sectioned off from the public.

“Um, Darren,” Jonathan said, clearing his throat.

“Yes, Sir?” I asked, snapping out of my dream realm.

He clenched his square jaw and clamped a strong hand onto my small shoulder.  “I was serious about what I said earlier,” he said in a low voice, “do not tell anyone.”

He knew that I had him in a corner if I really wanted.  Had I been vindictive, then I would’ve blabbed to everyone in town that my stepdad broke my arm.  But when it really came down to it, I felt like I was able to look at the bigger picture: I had nowhere else to go.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.  I was stuck in this city where I knew absolutely nobody (and the people I did know where kind of weird).  Sadly, that meant that I was forced to rely on Jonathan in order to have a roof over my head.

“I won’t tell anyone, Sir,” I murmured before he could say something else to make me feel even more helpless.  This was bad.  Problems seemed to be following me wherever I went, whether they stemmed from Vincent, Jonathan, or Paul.  Darn.

We passed by the construction zone, seeing a couple of the workers carrying large piles of lumber on their shoulders.  One of them paused when they saw Jonathan and me walking towards the parking lot, nudging his coworker and whispering something to him.

His coworker nodded and hurried inside the part of the hospital that they were working on.

“So when we get back home,” Jonathan droned on, “I want you to go straight to your room so that you can sleep off those meds, ‘kay?”

“Yes, Sir.”  I was incredibly happy to hear that Jonathan planned on allowing me to skip school today.  At first, I’d been looking forward to ditching him today.  However, that’s all changed due to multiple reasons.  The first was that I was now donning an incredibly bright, cringe-inducing pink cast; without a doubt I’d receive thousands of the dreaded, “What Happened?” question from everyone.  And the greatest reason was that I didn’t want to run into Ronnie, Lola, or (God forbid) Paul.

“Hey!” came a deep voice from far off… wait…

Jonathan and I turned around towards the construction area, seeing a large man clad in an reflective orange vest and a hard hat sauntering up to us.  He swayed back and forth with power, his sleeves rolled up to his armpits, showing off his bowling ball-like biceps that glistened with sweat.  The man was a little far for me to see his face clearly (that, and I was super high), but I could see the white gleam of teeth that belonged to a certain smirk.  Oh no…

“Son of a bitch,” Jonathan cursed under his breath.  Yeah, I agree.

Paul was going to ruin everything!  If Jonathan was able to piece two and two together, then he’d figure out that Paul and I knew each other.  And if he did that, then that’d only push him even closer to kicking me out of the house thanks to their mutual hatred… well, I never checked with Paul to see if he hated Jonathan.  But nevertheless, I needed to do some serious damage control to protect myself.

“Um, wh-who’s that?” I stuttered, trying to play dumb.

“That’s Paul Martinez,” Jonathan sighed, “the asshole I told you about the other day.”  He crossed his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes as Paul approached.

“Hey there, Johnny,” Paul sneered, stopping a couple of feet in front of us, crossing his larger arms over his beefier chest.  He had over a foot on Jonathan and was at least twice as wide, making my stepdad look like a broomstick by comparison.  “I didn’t know that you were back in town.”

Jonathan grunted.  “Yeah,” he muttered, “just moved back with my stepson.”  He nodded over at me, making me cringe.

Paul glanced down at me, his eyes widening when they landed on my pink cast.  A reddish hue formed on his cheeks and I could’ve sworn his eyes flashed yellow… man, these were some good painkillers.  He clenched his jaw and a growling noise rumbled in his chest.

“You okay, Martinez?” Jonathan asked, cocking his eyebrow.

“What happened?” Paul snarled, his voice ragged and animalistic.  Why did he sound so angry? Based on the way I’d closed him out earlier, I would’ve figured he’d be cracking jokes at my expense right now.

I opened up my mouth to formulate a response, but my throat was dry with nerves so nothing came out except a croak.

“Kid fell off his skateboard,” Jonathan shrugged.  “Oh, this is my stepson, Darren, by the way.”  So he tells me to avoid Paul, and then he introduces me to him?

Paul continued to sneer in Jonathan’s direction.  “We’ve met—”

“It’s nice to meet you, Sir!” I blurted, thrusting my good arm out for a handshake.  I was so thankful that I caught that before he could ruin everything with Jonathan.  I’d already had my arm broken, what more could happen?

Paul jerked back for a moment, looking puzzled as he ran his dark eyes over my blushing face.  He furrowed his eyebrows and I winced and darted just my eyes towards my stepdad, desperately trying to indicate that he should play along since Jonathan was here.

Finally, Paul sighed and shook his head.  “Um, yeah,” he mumbled, completely engulfing my hand in is, “I’m Paul.”  As he shook my hand, he narrowed his eyes, as if asking if I were alright.

Nodding, I retracted my hand, telling myself that I was just being stupid.  Paul didn’t care if I were alright or not.  I don’t mean anything to him at all, so why would he be concerned? However, if that were true, then why was he acting the way he was right now? It totally looked like he was struggling with some kind of inner turmoil not to beat up my stepdad right where we stood.  And in all honesty, I probably wouldn’t stop him.

Paul went back to glaring at Jonathan, his upper lip twitching.

Jonathan took a small step back and cleared his throat.  “Um, we have to get goin’,” he muttered.  “Nice seein’ you again, Martinez.”  He was lying.

“Yeah, I’ll be seeing you around,” Paul sneered.  Then looked back down at me, his features softening the smallest bit.  “Nice to meet you, Darren.”

“Likewise,” I murmured, wanting nothing more than to go home and hide under my blankets.

Jonathan huffed out in annoyance, turning around to storm off towards the van.

I gave Paul a meek look of apology for my stepdad’s cold attitude and moved to follow.  However, due in part to being high on painkillers and my horrendous luck, I lost my footing over plain air.  I felt my feet trip up, my knees buckling.  Then my torso began to topple forward and I tensed up to brace for the impact with the concrete sidewalk.  But hey, if I broke my other arm falling down, at least I was in front of the hospital.

However, before I collided with the hard ground, I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me into a warm body.

“Daddy’s got you, don’t worry,” Paul whispered in my ear, his warm breath making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“Wha—?” I wondered, worriedly looking up, grateful that Jonathan had his back to us, still lumbering off towards the van.  Sure I was grateful that Paul saved my face from mashing into the rubble, yet I was confused as to why he was referring to himself as “Daddy” again.  Maybe that’s just his personality— that would explain why he liked to hang out with younger people who called their significant others “Daddy”.  The Crescent City Cult must’ve had some underlying Daddy!Kink element to it.

Paul didn’t let me go, and instead tightened his grip on my torso, his beefy arms keeping me secured to his buff and musky chest.  “Maybe Daddy should just take his baby home with him,” he purred, his voice vibrating his powerful abdomen.  “Would my baby like that?”

Now I may be high, but there’s no drug potent enough to convince me to call Paul, “Daddy”.  “Paul, let go!” I hissed, fearful that Jonathan would turn around and see me in the the older man’s arms.

“C’mon now, Darren,” Paul mocked, “you gotta let me take care of you, got it? So I’ll let go, now.  But only if you promise me something.”  Oh man, he was trying to get me to do that thing that he‘d alluded to in front of my house earlier this morning before I’d slammed the door in his face.  A part of me feared that he’d ask me to perform some kind of sexual act on him.

“Ya coming, Darren?” Jonathan called from way far ahead.  He still strolled onward, not even bothering to look over his shoulder at me.

“Fine, I promise,” I huffed, desperate to be freed from Paul’s death grip.

“Good boy,” Paul applauded, a large smile detectable in his voice.  “I want you to promise me that you’ll stay out of the forest.”

Huh? I wasn’t expecting that at all.  And truth be told, I had absolutely zero plans to go into the forest anytime soon.  “Sure, I promise,” I breathed, relieved that it wasn’t a request for a kiss.  But then again, maybe Paul didn’t want a kiss from me… why not?

Paul’s body tensed down and his giant arms slowly unraveled themselves from around me.  “Thank you,” he sighed, running a hand along the back of his neck, his arm flexing with the motion.  “And do me a personal favor, and call me later tonight.”

“Why?” I blurted.

Paul scoffed and rolled his eyes.  “So I can check up on you,” he snickered as if it were an obvious answer.

“Wh-why?” I repeated.

“I’ll tell you later tonight when you call me,” he winked, turning back to head towards the construction site.  He was so bulky and muscular that the simple act of walking seemed to be so masculine, and I foolishly wondered if Paul even needed construction tools at his job.  He looked so buff that he could easily tear apart rocks and concrete with his mighty hands.

“Darren!” Jonathan barked.  “Move your ass!”

“Coming, Sir!” I replied, shaking my head to stop staring at the amateur bodybuilder who was walking away from me.

Paul stopped in his tracks, sneering in Jonathan’s direction, baring his teeth like what a dog does when it wants to intimidate something.  Weird…

I fast-walked over to the parking lot and followed Jonathan to the van.  After jumping inside, I rested back in the seat, closing my eyes to rid myself of the dizzy feeling that the painkillers were giving me.  Since I almost never take any kind of medications, the simple painkiller that the doctor had given me was really kicking my butt.

“What took you so long?” Jonathan sneered as he began to speed out of the hospital parking lot.

“I walk slow,” I mumbled.  It technically wasn’t a lie.

“Martinez didn’t say anything to you, did he?” he asked, eyeing me from his peripheral, his face getting red with irritation.

“N-no,” I lied, shaking my head a little bit.  I could feel my body sinking into my seat, wanting nothing more than to be out of Jonathan’s sight so that I’d be safe from his fury.  By the way, why would Jonathan worry about Paul saying something to me?

Jonathan eyed me up and down, clenching his jaw and flexing his fingers on the steering wheel.  “Okay,” he dragged, sounding like he was on to me.  The overactive fear in me spiked with worried images of Jonathan calling me out on my weird dynamic that I had with Paul.  If he suspected so much as an inkling of my homosexuality, then I’d pray for another broken arm, because that would be light compared to what would really be in store.

I just had to keep on avoiding Paul— not that that plan appeared to be working.  It seemed that no matter where I went, Paul was there and ready to make me cringe.  I have no idea what his deal was, but a piece of me wanted to know while the other, more rational half wanted to pretend that he didn’t exist.  

And let’s not forget the awkward fact that Paul keeps referencing himself as “Daddy”!  Why?!  First off, I don’t even know my father, so I wasn’t going to call anybody Daddy anytime soon, especially Paul.  And secondly, the entire structure of that kind of relationship made it seem as if one person was completely subservient to the other.  And knowing Paul, he’d totally try to be the dominant one.  Not that I liked to dominate people (I was naturally submissive), but I didn’t want to be controlled.

The rest of the day went on filled with tense silence.  Jonathan seemed to be in such a foul mood that Howie and I did anything to avoid him at all costs.  I hid myself away in my bedroom, watching videos on YouTube with the door locked.  I didn’t even want to creep out when Jonathan shouted out that dinner was ready, claiming that the medication I was on affected my appetite.  I was starving really, but was just so scared to leave my own bedroom.

Like usual, my thoughts drifted to a certain older man who refused to leave me alone, both physically and mentally.  Paul had told me that he’d make me submit to him in two days’ time at some obscure running activity— I was completely lost and unable to come up with a reasonable explanation.  He’s weird: there it is.  And secondly, he’d asked me promise him to stay out of the forest.  Now Crescent City was pretty much a town built within a forest on the coastline, so that’d be a bit difficult.  However, I never had any initial plans to go into said forest in the first place.  I’m an indoors kid, not really finding much joy in the great outdoors.  I mean, what kind of hobby is hiking? It’s just another word for walking!

Something was up.  That was all I could come up with.  Jonathan had alluded to there being a cult here, and perhaps Paul was its ringleader or he was in charge of finding new recruits.  I was kind of a loner on the outside of society; I made the perfect candidate.

Still, there was one person I could ask about Paul.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Mom’s number, praying that she’d answer this time.  I’d tried to call her at the hospital emergency room, but she’d been busy and didn’t pick up.

“ _Hello?_ ” she answered, her voice sounding slow like she was exhausted.

“Mom, it’s me, Darren,” I said, relieved that I could finally get a hold of her.  She was usually so busy with her work that even when she was home, she’d often devote a majority of her time to Jonathan.

“ _Darren? Johnny told me that you broke your arm skateboarding.  Are you okay?_ ” she asked, sounding concerned and alert.  “ _At least you were wearing a helmet, right?_ ”

Wow, even my own mother didn’t know that I’ve never been on a skateboard.  “Um, yeah?” I murmured.  “But besides that, I really need to talk to you.”

“ _You’re absolutely right we need to talk_ ,” she agreed, putting on her Mom-Voice that told me she meant business.  “ _Johnny’s been telling me that you haven’t been listening to him.  What’s wrong, Darren? Why aren’t you behaving?_ ”

…really? “Mom, I’ve been listening,” I urged.  “Jonathan’s lying.”

My mom heavily sighed on the other line and I visualized her shaking her head like she always does.  “ _Why would he lie about that?_ ” she pressed.  “ _Seriously, what would that accomplish? Please just listen to your father and behave, okay?_ ”

I love my mom, I really do.  But I swear that sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall.  She never believes me when there’s something going on between me and Jonathan.  “Fine,” I sighed.

“ _Thank you_ ,” she breathed.  “ _So tell me, how are you liking Crescent City? It’s nice, right?_ ”

So far, I’m hating it.  “It’s fine,” I mumbled, waiting for the perfect opportunity to bring up Paul.  However, knowing my mom, she’d ask every generic question in the book, completely straying from any chance for me to do so; hence, it was up to me.  “Hey, Mom?”

“ _Yes?_ ”

I toyed with a stray fiber on my jeans as I struggled to put the words together, a little embarrassed that I was having to ask my mom about a guy who was following me around town.  “I’ve been making some good friends here,” I lied.

“ _That’s great!_ ” she cheered.  “ _I have to be honest, I was really nervous that you’d just isolate yourself again like you did in El Paso.  Well, you did make a friend in that one kid, Vincent.  Do you still talk to him? He was nice, but kinda fruity if you ask me._ ”

Yeah, I’d introduced Vincent to Mom as “just a friend”.  Not one of my brightest ideas.  “No, we lost contact,” I grimaced.  “But anyways, I met someone here who… um, has an uncle who claims to know you.”  I had to twist the truth a little bit in order to distance myself from Paul just enough so that it wouldn’t sound weird that I was asking about him, and it wouldn’t seem weird that I was in contact with him.

“ _Oh?_ ” Mom asked, sounding a little intrigued.  “ _Well, I was kinda popular.  Who is it?_ ”

I swallowed hard and tried to stop my hands from shaking.  “Um, i-it’s P-Paul Martinez,” I stuttered, my voice cracking as soon as I said the man’s name.

Mom was silent.  Maybe she didn’t remember him? It was several years ago after all.

“Mom? Are you there—”

“ _Just stay away from him!_ ” she hissed.  “ _He’s… weird.  Just don’t go near him, okay? That man’s bad news, Darren._ ”

I knew it.  Jonathan wasn’t lying, apparently.  There was something wrong with Paul and Mom just confirmed that.  “I won’t talk to Paul or his nephew again.”

“ _It’d really make me feel better if I told your father_ ,” Mom admitted, making me cringe when she kept referring to Jonathan as my father.  “ _But if anything, that’ll just piss him off._   _Just please, Darren, please don’t go near Paul.  Just promise me that, please._ ”

Unfortunately, due to my incredibly bad luck coupled with how tiny the town was, that’d be a difficult promise to keep.  Yet, what kind of son would I be if I ignored my pleading mother’s wishes? “I promise, Mom,” I uttered, my throat growing dry for some odd reason.

Mom sighed with relief.  “ _Good,_ ” she said.  “ _Now you get some rest so that your bones can mend, ‘kay? Goodnight, Sweetie._ ”

“Goodnight, Mom,” I said, hanging up.

Now, despite not learning anything specific, it was confirmed that Paul was someone I should avoid at all costs.  All that meant was that I should keep to myself and try to keep busy so as not to give anyone an in.  And although I had promised Paul to call him later tonight, I felt that promises to my mom outweighed promises to a complete stranger.

So I didn’t call him.


	8. Cult Logic

“Cult Logic” - Miike Snow

_All my life I’ve been the slave of consequence / Wondering how this life could be so intricate / I wanna rewrite my heart and let the future in / I wanna open it up and let somebody in_

(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡

_Beep!  Beep!_ My alarm on my phone rang out, telling me to get up to begin another day of dealing with Paul and his crazy antics.  I groaned and shoved my face into my pillow, resisting the urge to scream out loud in frustration.  There was the possibility of me faking an illness, but then that would mean having to spend the entire day in the house with Jonathan and his suspicions that could lead me to getting kicked out.  Then where would I go?

“Why me?” I asked myself.  I’d never envisioned my life winding up like this.  Mom had further complicated things by being cryptic in her warnings about Paul.  All she seemed to allude to was that he wasn’t safe to be around— but on the other hand, he never physically harmed me… yet.

Slumping out of bed, I trudged downstairs to get an energy drink from the fridge in order to prepare for the day.  There was no doubt in my mind that I’d have to deal with stares from my classmates at the sight of my brand new cast that was bright pink.  And to top it all off, I’d have to deal with Ronnie and Lola, and quite possibly Paul.  To make matters worse, I completely broke my secondary promise to the older man by not calling him last night; I hope he’s not plotting to kill me because of it.  Swinging open the fridge door, I frowned to find that there were only Jonathan’s healthy herbal drinks like wheatgrass and passionfruit.

“What the hell?” I hissed.  Why couldn’t anything be easy?

“Sounds like you need to get away,” a voice said from behind me.

I jumped and slammed the door, spinning around to confront the person who was spying on me.  To my relief, Howie was standing at the kitchen island, fixing himself a cup of coffee.  He was already dressed up for the day, despite not having anything to do.  He then reached into his pants pocket, setting the contents onto the island’s granite top.

Four ones and four quarters.

I cocked my eyebrow at him.

“Take the 14 to Port Steele,” he said, checking over his shoulder.  “There’s a nice bookstore there.  Why don’t you read up on some of the local folklore?”

My gaze switched between Howie and the money on the counter.  “Uhh,” I mumbled, unsure how to go about this situation.  I knew that Howie needed help, but I didn’t think that applied to mental help as well.  “Are you sure?”

“I know a thing or two, Kiddo,” he mused, taking a sip of his coffee.  “Didja know that I worked for the sheriff’s department back in the day?”

I shook my head.  Honestly, I barely knew a thing about Howie.

“Best years of my life,” he grinned, staring off into space as he reminisced.  “Saw lots of stuff, if you know what I mean.”  Dead people?

I scooped up the money slowly, looking at it as if I wasn’t sure if this were a prank or not.  “Local folklore?” I repeated.

“It may help you out with that Martinez kid,” Howie said, grabbing his mug and shuffling back towards his room.

“What do you mean?” I nervously chuckled, trying to act innocent although I’m pretty sure I miserably failed to do so.

“Bus leaves near the high school in about an hour,” Howie called, shutting his door.

So, obviously Howie knew about Paul; did that mean that Jonathan did too? I strained my ears, but could hear no indication that Jonathan was awake, so I guess that I’ll have to find out later.  Mom knew, and she’d sort of mentioned that she wouldn’t tell Jonathan.  However, she’s been known to gossip a lot, so it’s just a matter of time on her part.  I quickly ran back upstairs and took a shower, having to wrap my cast up in some plastic.  I changed into a black sweater and some blue jeans, not bothering to hunt down my jacket or umbrella.  The notion that there would be a way to get some information on Paul excited me.  I may finally be able to uncover the secrets of his cult and thus rid myself of his clingy attitude.  Of course logic dictated that the best course of action was to avoid him; unfortunately that wasn’t working out so far though.

I did remember to reach into the pickle jar that housed my car fund, grabbing onto two twenties to help me pay for the book and maybe get some lunch.  My mind was in a frantic race, eager to dig up some dirt. 

I ran the entire way to the bus stop.  I’ve never considered myself athletic, so I was incredibly out of breath after the three-quarter mile run, gasping for air as I plopped myself down on the bus stop bench.  School still didn’t start for at least an hour, so there was no chance that any of the students (mainly Ronnie and Lola) would be able to see me getting on the bus, and thus be able to rat me out to Paul.  That thought made me scrunch up my face.  Why did I care if Paul found out that I skipped school and rode the bus by myself to Port Steele? He didn’t own me, and I sure didn’t need to answer to him.

The bus pulled up, stopping with a low screech, the warm exhaust blowing over me.  I hopped on and asked the driver for a day pass.

“Four dollars,” he grunted, not even looking at me.

I inserted my money and got my pass, taking a seat near the back of the bus.  There were only two other people on it, so the odds of word getting back to Paul were in my favor.  Finally, things were starting to look up.

My phone buzzed.

Of course things could never be that simple.  I pulled it out and looked at the screen, already rolling my eyes.  Oh, it was a text from Paul, not Vincent.  I jerked back in surprise and opened it.

_Good morning, ill be there in 30. Want breakfast?_ he texted.

Aww, he going to buy me breakfast, I gushed.  Whoa there!  Immediately, I mentally chastised myself for thinking that an action of Paul’s was cute.  There was nothing cute about it.  He’d most likely use it as ammo against me or something.  And why on earth would he automatically just up and assume that I’d accept a ride to school from him?

_I’m not going. Sick_ , I responded.  Despite my previous determination to show Paul that he wasn’t in charge of me, I still found myself lying in order to avoid him.  I’m such a loser, I thought, slamming my head back into the headrest.  I yanked my iPod out from my pocket, turning on some techno song that would help to boost my mood.  This was supposed to be a good day; I was supposed to be able to avoid Paul while getting to the bottom of his bizarre behavior and the cult of Crescent City.

_r u alrite?_ he asked.

_Ya, just need rest_ , I said.  Well, I guess in a way I do need rest from him; technically, I’m not lying.

_Im coming over 2 take care of u_

Oh God, no!  There was no way I wanted Paul anywhere near my house when I’m there.  And now that Jonathan and Howie are the only people there, there’s even more of a reason as to why I didn’t want him going over there.  And even worse: he’ll find out that I was lying, which I’m not sure why I’m worried about that.

_Jonathan doesn't like ppl over_ , I quickly texted.

There was no response for a while, making me sweat in my seat.  This can’t be happening.  I found myself staring at the phone, refusing to blink, desperate for that response from Paul.

_K, ill call u l8r to check on u_ , he finally texted.

YES!  I wanted to jump up and down in triumph.  _K_ , I replied, and then shut off my phone in order to keep him off my mind so that I could actually enjoy this trip of mine.  The light rain caused water droplets to appear on the window.  Great, now it’s starting to rain, and I’m clad in only a sweater with no umbrella.  I groaned, but still needed to stay focused on my mission.

I asked the other riders on the bus where I could find the local bookstore, and one told me that it would be about a thirty minute walk to the other side of town from where the bus would drop us off— which didn’t seem too bad.  The bus took two and a half hours with more than thirty stops in between in order to make it to Port Steele.  I’m not a patient person, so the ride was torture!  I spent the time staring out the window at the damp outside and listening to music.  Once again, the child inside of me imagined that if I knew my father, he’d drive me to Port Steele, dropping whatever he was working on to help me out.

Eventually the bus stopped on the edge of Downtown Port Steele, and I practically ran off, thankful to finally be off that thing and on my feet.  I stretched my arms above my head until my back popped, and then I dashed over to the sidewalk in order to find the bookstore.  It was still raining outside, making me get drenched.  My sweater was soon soaked with rainwater and my canvas shoes squished with every step I took.  Downtown wasn’t very uplifting like I had imagined it to be.  It was only a couple square miles and there was no building with more than five stories.  It was nothing like El Paso!  However, the salty sweet aroma of the ocean wafted over the area, which was a pleasant surprise.  I love the beach, and the only downside to El Paso was that it wasn’t near the ocean.

I began to shiver with cold as I wandered throughout the streets, scanning every sign and building for any indication of where the bookstore was.  I made sure to tuck my left arm inside of my sweater so that my cast wouldn’t get destroyed in the wet weather.

After several more minutes of complaining and getting soaked, I saw off in the distance a tiny little shack with a sign that read _Bookstore_ in the window.  Yes!  I made it!  I quickened my pace and dashed inside the building, eager to get out of the relentless rain.  My fingers were now numb and I couldn’t feel my face.

The storeowner looked at me from behind the counter as soon as I barged in through the door, knitting his eyebrows together.  “Forgot an umbrella?” he asked, although it sounded more like he was judging me.

I nodded.  “I-I d-don’t wanna get your store wet,” I stuttered from being super cold.  “Could you grab a book for me?”

“Good idea,” the man muttered, looking me up and down.  “Which one?”

“One on local folklore, please,” I stammered, wrapping my arms around myself in a feeble attempt to stay warm.  My clothes were so waterlogged that it was useless though.

“This for a project?” he hummed, moving from the counter over to one of the shelves.

“Getting it for a friend,” I mumbled.  Dang, I’m a full-blown Pinocchio today.

“S’nice of you,” he mused, grabbing a brown, leather-bound book.  He went back over to the counter and pushed some buttons on the register.  “That’ll be $32.50.”

Darn it, this book better be worth it.  I frowned and handed the man my soaked twenties.  His eyes switched between me and the wet paper, once again judging me, and huffed.  He went back to the register, put the wet money to the side, and brought me my change.  He then put the book in a plastic bag.

“Try to keep it dry,” he said.  “The binding will fall apart if it gets wet.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, grabbing the bag from him.  I was happy to leave the store, yet annoyed that I’d have to go back out in the pouring rain.

“There’s a coffee shop across the street,” the man said.  “You could wait there for a ride or something.”

Oh, that was nice of him to let me know.  “Thanks,” I said, fast-walking out of the store and across the street.  The coffee shop was one of those locally owned ones where a bunch of hipsters hung out at.  As soon as I walked in, the patrons stopped what they were doing to look me over.  Great, I guess I don’t fit in anywhere.  I walked over to the counter, ordering a hot chocolate with tons of sugar so that it could warm me up.

I gave the barista the rest of my money for the meager cup and then took a seat at a small table near the window.

I pulled the book out of the plastic bag, eager to crack the code to Crescent City’s secrets.  There was no writing on the cover, just an imprint of a wolf in gold.  Quickly flipping through the pages, I discovered that it had three hundred total.  I am a bit of a slow reader as I read word for word, so at least this should keep me busy for most of the day.

I cracked open the book, taking a sip of the sweet hot chocolate and began to read.  The first two chapters talked about the founding of the cities in the area and the importance of keeping these tales alive for future generations to enjoy.  Eh, yeah I’m sure that stuff’s important, but it told me absolutely nothing about Paul or his weird behavior.

Things began to get good when I began to read about multiple disappearances that had occurred back in the late 1880s.  It detailed how corpses were found in the surrounding woods, some of them mauled by an animal and others drained completely of blood.  The locals began to tell stories about vampires and werewolves in the area, some swearing up and down that a prominent werewolf pack lived in… Crescent City?!  Dang, that meant that I was living in a town with werewolf legends? Creepy.  I wonder if Paul knows about these tales?

I was about to read the chapter entitled _Mates_ when the barista came to my table.

“Sir,” she said in a monotone voice, “we’re closing shop for the day.”

Huh? I looked back out the window, startled to find that it was already dark outside.  It was still raining, a little harder too.  “Oh, sorry,” I muttered, closing the book and putting it back in the plastic bag.  How could I have lost track of so much time? Sure the book was good, but I didn’t realize that it took me almost a whole day to read fourteen chapters.  Oh God, and there’s Jonathan, probably wondering where I’m at right now.  I’m in so much trouble when I get home — hopefully Howie covered for me seeing as how coming out here was his idea.  I sprinted all the way back to the bus stop, even scurrying across intersections, ignoring the honks from drivers I cut off.  The heavy rain blinded me and I could hear the rolling of thunder as I ran, desperate to make it home as soon as I could.

Eventually I reached the bench at the bus stop, seeing no one else around.  Luckily there was a rain guard above it, offering me much needed solace from the frustrating downpour.  It was eerie how vacant the nighttime city was: almost nobody else was out on the streets.  The lights from all of the buildings were off and the roads were void of any vehicles.  Since the bus stop was on the edge of town, across the street from it was nothing but an empty field.  And beyond that by a few feet was the beginning of the great expanse of forest that Paul had made me promise to avoid.

A piece of me began to fear that I’d missed the last bus back to Crescent City.  That would be terrible!  If I was stranded in an unfamiliar town with no money and no way back home, that would certainly be the low point of my sad, pathetic life.  I didn’t have a bus schedule and the one that was posted at the bus stop had some graffiti sprayed over it, preventing me from being able to read it clearly.  Unfortunately, once I began to worry about something, I was almost incapable of calming down.

My mind filled with anxiety at the prospect of being stranded in Port Steele.  I could just wait it out and pray that a bus comes to pick me up.  I could just spend the night here and try to panhandle for a couple of dollars to go home tomorrow.

I pulled out my cell phone and turned it on, waiting for it to start up.  I knew that I couldn’t call Jonathan because his suspicions would only be rooted deeper, thus getting me closer to being kicked out.  I didn’t have Howie’s number and there was also no way I felt safe with him driving during a rainstorm.

That only left one person.  Ugh!  I dialed the number and waited not even three seconds for him to answer.  I’m sure Mom would forgive me for breaking my promise to her given the circumstances.

“ _Darren?!_ ” Paul frantically answered.  “ _Why didn’t you answer any of my calls or texts? I’ve been worried all day!  And why aren’t you at home?_ ”

“How did you know I wasn’t home?” I shivered, my curiosity taking command.

“ _Tell me where you are_ ,” Paul ordered, frustration and authority seeping into his voice.

“I think I missed the last bus home,” I admitted, shaking uncontrollably from the cold.  “I’m at the bus stop near Downtown Port Steele.  Do you think you can give me a ride home?” It really sucked having to ask Paul for a favor, but he was my only hope of not dying all alone out in the unknown streets. 

“ _Port Steele?! What are you doing all the way out there?_ ” Paul demanded.  “ _You were supposed to be at home, sick._ ”  He sounded really annoyed on the other line, maybe not seeing me worth driving over to Port Steele at this time of night.  Come to think of it, I didn’t even know what time it was.

“Well, if you don’t want to, I guess I could hitchhike,” I muttered, looking around for a sign of another car.  Maybe if I showed a little leg I could get a ride?

“ _NO!_ ” Paul roared, sending chills down my spine.  His normally deep voice took on a guttural quality as if he were more animalistic at that moment.

I had to move the phone away from my ear for a brief moment lest he shouted like that again and shattered my eardrum.  “Okay,” I whimpered sheepishly, “no hitchhiking.”

Paul’s breathing was hard on the other line.  “ _No hitchhiking,_ ” he growled.  “ _Stay put and I’ll come get you.  Understand?_ ”

“Yes,” I trembled, shuddering even more.

Paul hung up and I was left alone, shaking with cold and fear at the bus stop.  I glanced at the phone screen, seeing that it was ten past nine o’clock.  Wow, I really did lose track of time while reading about the local legends.  I was just concerned about finding out what was going on in town.  Both Mom and Jonathan seemed to stress that Paul was someone who I shouldn’t have any contact with at all.  And I wanted to know why.  Paul didn’t make things any easier by being so mysterious and not directly answering any of my questions.  Therefore, I’d thought that it’d been a good idea to play detective.  And yet, it wasn’t.

I didn’t even learn anything!  Instead, Howie sent me on some weird trip to pick up a local folklore book that talked about werewolves and vampires: stuff of fairy tales.  This sucked.  

Then I noticed the alerts icon on my phone, telling me that I had thirty-five missed calls from Paul and ten texts from him (and twelve from Vincent).  Ignoring the ones from my crazy ex-boyfriend, I read the ones from Paul, curious to see what he had sent me.

_How r u feeling?_

_Darren? R u there?_

_Answer me, please_

_Ur not home, where r u?_

_Darren? R u ok?_

_Can u just tell me ur safe?_

_2moro im not letting u out of my site_

_Hello?_

_Darren, please_

_That’s it, I'm having the pack look 4 u now_

The pack? Is that what Paul called this cult? Well, from what I understood, he had lived in Crescent City for a long time now, so when coupling that with the local folklore regarding werewolves, maybe “pack” is what he calls his gang of friends.  Either way, his texts made me feel anxious, giving me a sort of sinking feeling that told me to be wary.

There were three voicemails from Paul as well.  I felt that if I listened to them, then I would be able to tell if I should be even more cautious of him or not.  Already, stories from Jonathan and his weird behavior told me that Paul was one that I should have extremely limited contact with.  If he turned out to be obsessive like Vincent, then that’d prove that he was one I should one-hundred percent ghost.  Even if I needed help.

I dialed my voicemail and listened to the messages.

_“Message One, sent today at 12:23 PM,”_ the automated voice said.

“ _Hey Baby,”_ I heard Paul say, “ _just checkin’ up on you to see how you’re doing.  I asked Ellie and she said that a couple of students were catching a cold, so make sure to drink plenty of fluids and get your rest.  I’ll call you later.”_

_“Next message, sent today at 2:41 PM.”_

_“Darren, I went by your house and I know that you’re not there.  You haven’t been answering any of my texts or calls either.  Where are you? You said that you were sick and that you’d be home.  If I don’t hear from you in fifteen minutes, then I’m sending the pack out to look for you.  Call me back.”_

_“Next message, sent today at 6:05 PM.”_

_“Darren?! Why are you ignoring me? I just need to know that you’re safe.  Just give me that and I’ll stop calling, please.  Just let me know you’re okay, please, so I can calm down.”_

_“End of messages.”_

Yeah… None of those seemed to help me out with my decision regarding whether or not I could trust Paul.  My parents said that I couldn’t, as well as my conscience.  However, there was a tiny, almost-microscopic part of me that did.  I’m not entirely sure where that part stems from, but I felt that a piece of it was because he’d given me a ride home from the grocery store that one day, helping me out in time of need.  If he truly was evil like everyone said, then wouldn’t he had just killed me right then and there? And come to think of it, Howie wasn’t afraid of him, and he seemed to be pretty rational.

I was just so confused, not really knowing what to do exactly.  I passed the time waiting for Paul by deleting the texts and messages from Vincent, wanting nothing to do with them at all.  It didn’t take long for a bright pair of headlights to pull up in front of the bus stop, the back window rolling down.

Paul poked his head out and flagged me down.  “Baby!” he called, making me wince.  “C’mon!  Get in!”  He opened up the door and scooted over to the other side.

I grabbed my book and rushed over to the car, jumping inside.  As soon as I had the door shut behind me, I rolled the window back up and basked in the warm glory of the car heater.  “Thank you so much for picking me up,” I breathed, letting my head rest against the leather headrest.  My fingers were still numb and I had a little trouble using them to put my seatbelt on.

Paul noticed and reached over, clicking it into place for me.

The car sped off down the road and I noticed that in the passenger seat was Ronnie, while the driver’s seat was occupied by a rather tall and buff looking guy.  He was nowhere near as big as Paul, but he was still pretty impressive.  Ronnie had a firm hold on his hand that rested in the middle console, rubbing small circles with her tiny thumb.  The man looked at me in the rearview mirror, smiling faintly.

“So,” he grinned, “you’re the famous Darren that’s got my man all whipped, huh?”

“Be nice, Daddy,” Ronnie chuckled, playfully pawing at his muscled arm.  “He doesn’t know yet.”

Know what?  Know what!? 

Man, already I was regretting my decision to call Paul for help.  I knew that he typically rode a motorcycle, but I suppose that that’s his only vehicle, so he had to ask Ronnie and her… uh, daddy for a ride to come get me.  Now I was in close quarters with members of the Crescent City Cult, but at least I wasn’t stranded in Port Steele all by myself.  So I guess I have to take the good with the bad in this situation.

“Um, thank you for the ride,” I mumbled, not oblivious to the way Paul was scooting over to my side of the backseat every couple of seconds.  He tried to look nonchalant about it, but I’d notice him hop over a couple inches every time we passed a tree… which was often.

“Of course,” the driver nodded.  “I’m Justin, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, feeling my face grow red thanks to my shyness.  By now, Paul’s entire side was touching mine, and he reached over my shoulders, draping his heavy arm over me.  Oh God…  “So, um, I live in the new Mountain Shadows community near the high school.”

Paul shook his head, so close that the wind from the action brushed my cheek.  “Nope,” he purred.  “Unfortunately, my baby has a problem with listening to Daddy, so I’m not going to let him out of my sight.”

…I have no response.

“Justin, just take us to my place,” he added, leaning down to give me a quick peck on the cheek.

“‘Kay, Alpha,” Justin snickered, flooring the gas pedal, making the car engine hum even louder.

Yeah, this was a bad idea.


	9. Fly Tonight

“Fly Tonight” - RuPaul Feat. FrankMusik

_Daydreams not enough for us / We can’t hide behind this feeling / Losers find a place for love / Up above the clouds_   
****

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

**[Darren, First Meeting]**   
****

_Oh man, I didn’t understand this at all._

_I grabbed at my hair in frustration as I stared at the worksheet that Sr. Maldonado had given us to complete.  We were supposed to be practicing the preterite form of_ ser _, and it was proving to be quite the challenge for me.  And the fact that there seemed to be a mental wall there only pushed my irritation further since I was used to grasping educational concepts on the spot._

_Yet, as I stared blankly at the multiple questions on the unfilled worksheet, I realized that I’d finally met my match.  I slumped in my chair, letting my head dramatically hit my desk as I tried to accept the fact that my perfect 4.0 GPA was going to drop all because of Spanish conjugations.  Maybe I could sign up for tutoring?_

_“The first one’s ‘_ Fui _’,” came a deep voice from behind me._

_I jerked in my seat, startled.  “Huh?” I asked, turning around to see one of the upper class men who was also enrolled in the course.  As soon as I laid my eyes on him, I could feel my confusion and anger begin to melt away.  The guy had gorgeous blond hair and a smile that seemed to be able to make anyone grin back; I couldn’t stop marveling at how cute it was.  He was masculine and wore a letterman jacket, patches showing that he was on the baseball team._

_The guy pointed forward at my paper, looking up to make sure the teacher wasn’t glancing in our direction.  “See,” he explained, “the sentence has ‘_ Yo _’ in it, meaning that it’s about you.  So you would say, ‘_ Yo fui _.’”_

_Unfortunately now, my mind was no longer concentrating on Spanish, but was instead entranced by the handsome man in front of me who was assisting me in my time of need.  I liked to consider myself independent, but it was nice to be taken care of once in a while._

_My classmate must’ve mistaken my silence as me not understanding.  “Well,” he continued, “‘_ Ser _’ is an irregular verb when in the past tense, so it uses different prefixes.  It goes ‘_ Fui’ _, ‘_ Fuiste _’, and so on.  So just memorize the prefix and you’ll get the hang of it.”  He flashed his pearly whites at me, and it was incredible how straight and bright they were.  He could’ve modeled for Colgate— they were immaculate._

_“Oh, thank you,” I blushed._

_“_ No problema _,” he chuckled, thinking that his joke was cute, which it was.  “I’m Vincent by the way.”_

_Wow, usually people at school only talked to me to get the answers for the upcoming tests or to ask for a pencil.  Never before had a guy, especially an attractive one, talked to me and expected nothing in return.  For a shy recluse like me, it really brightened my day and made my stomach do flips of glee.  “I’m Da—”_

_“You’re Darren,” he interrupted.  “I know, I’ve seen you around.”_

_Oh my gosh, I wasn’t invisible to this guy.  That was an unusual feeling since people rarely knew anything about me, let alone my name.  Shoot, my stepdad, Jonathan, forgot my birthday last year.  Therefore, it was quite endearing that this Vincent guy both knew my name and was willing to help me out._

_“Well, thank you for your help,” I goofily smiled, feeling my face burn hot with nerves.  “I, uh, I guess I’ll see you around.”_

_“Yeah, you can count on that,” Vincent grinned._

**•ू(ᵒ̴̶̷ωᵒ̴̶̷*•ू) )੭ु⁾**

**[Darren, Present Day]**   
****

If I were smart, then I totally would’ve just gone to school today and carried on like it was any other normal day.  I would’ve attended my classes, took scrupulous notes, and turned in my assignments on time.  And to round it off, I would have heeded my parents’ warnings and wouldn’t have pursued any contact with a certain man.

Unfortunately, because I am not smart, I didn’t do any of that.  No, instead I took a borderline-senile man’s advice and took a multiple hour bus ride to Port Steele in a pathetic and unsuccessful attempt to uncover the secrets of Crescent City.  Of course that led to me missing the last bus home, thus forcing myself to call the one person I was meant to avoid in order to get rescued: Paul Martinez.  To further escalate my bad luck, he then had the brilliant idea to instruct the driver to take me to his house instead of mine.

My mind tried to formulate some kind of response as I sat in the car, trapped between the door and Paul’s massive body, the latter which was pressed close against mine.  Maybe if I tucked and rolled?

“So Darren,” Ronnie piped up, interrupting me from my frazzled daze, “what’s with the cast?”

Paul grimaced and tightened his hold that he had around my shoulders, pulling me in closer to his musky body.  His body temperature was so high that I began to sweat a little bit in his embrace.

“Oh, um, I fell off my skateboard,” I mumbled, feeling myself starting to unconsciously tuck my chin into my chest in a feeble attempt to look smaller and thus not be as noticeable.

Ronnie frowned in the rearview mirror.  “Oh?” she asked.  “Well that sucks.  But I have lots of Sharpies in my backpack, so you have to let me and Lola draw all over it.”  Yeah, probably not.

“Oh, okay.”  I continued to squirm uncomfortably in my seat, Paul way too close for comfort.  This wasn’t natural, right? I mean, even if I were out and actively dating men, there would be no way that I’d allow some thirty-something year-old man to just up and wrap his arm around my shoulders in the back of a car.  I liked to think that I had standards.  Even when I was with Vincent, I wasn’t one for PDA.

Because we weren’t stopping every other block or so, it didn’t take very long for Justin to reach the borders of Crescent City.  I could see on the dashboard that the time was 10:02 PM, meaning that I had just missed my curfew.  I was in so much trouble.  And knowing Jonathan, even if I miraculously managed to convince Paul to just drop me off at home, he wouldn’t unlock the door for me because of my tardiness.  This was bad, and it meant that if I didn’t want to sleep out on the rainy sidewalk then I should just put up and go to Paul’s house.

Sighing, I allowed my body to go limp in Paul’s hold.

He rubbed my arm up and down with his massive hand, his head resting on top of mine.  My clothes were still damp, making my teeth chatter despite the warmth I felt radiating off the older man.

“You should take a shower to warm up when we get to my place, Baby,” Paul cooed.

The thought of being naked in Paul’s house was not something that I was looking forward to.  “I don’t want to run your water bill up,” I shivered, my fingers trembling and losing most of their feeling.  “Thanks though.”

Paul made a throaty sound that resembled a dog growling, and I saw Justin and Ronnie tense up in front.  “Baby needs to learn to listen to Daddy,” he growled.

This was weird.  I had absolutely no idea what to say to that, like at all.  Therefore, I forced myself to stare back out the window, desperate to focus my attention on something else like a billboard or the blurring lights of the town.  

It didn’t take long for Justin to pull into the parking lot of a small looking apartment complex.  The building itself looked a little run down, with the paint chipping on the doors and no sign or neon lights displaying its name.  It was a two-story and had the doors to the apartments lined up outside, the front windows each having an iron bar covering them.  The complex reminded me of one of those low-income buildings that are really just converted motels, but at least it was a roof over my head for the night.

Justin parked in a space near the sidewalk, turning off the car.

“Do you guys live here too?” I wondered, looking up at the decrepit building.

“The whole pack does,” Ronnie blurted, wincing as soon as Justin narrowed his eyes at her.  “Sorry, Daddy.”  Eww…  But what she’d said make me wonder if the entire cult had bought out the apartment complex, staying close to one another.  This place must’ve been the main headquarters of their cultish activities.

Paul pushed open the door and gently guided me out of the car.  “C’mon, Baby,” he said, taking a firm hold of my hand, “let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”

Normally, I’d cringe at being called “Baby”, but I was just too eager to get inside and out of the rainy weather.  I waved at Ronnie and Justin as we began to part ways.  “Thank you for the ride again,” I said.

Justin nodded.  “Anytime,” he grinned.  “Be up and ready by eight if you want to catch a ride to school with us.”

I don’t know if I wanted to be in the Cult-Mobile again, so I was going to politely decline, claiming that I’d have no problem walking.  However, before I could open my mouth to answer, Paul beat me to it.

“He will,” he stated matter-of-factly.  “Thank you, Beta.”  Huh?

“No prob,” Justin nodded, wrapping his large arm around Ronnie’s lower waist to lead her off towards their apartment.  They giggled and whispered things to one another as they walked off, looking like some honeymooning couple on TV.

Paul led me over to the stairs at the left corner of the building.  We walked up and traveled across the second story for a little bit until he stopped at Apartment #213, fishing the keys out of his pocket.  “It’s not much,” he muttered, “but it’s home.”

Paul’s apartment was a little tiny, one-bedroom place.  When we entered through the front door, we were brought into the living room.  I could easily tell that Paul lived by himself because the only furniture in there was a large green couch pressed against the wall, opposite a large flat-screen TV.  The living room was connected to a kitchenette that barely had any cooking utensils in it, making me deduce that the man usually had take-out for meals.  On the far wall were two doors, one I assumed to be Paul’s bedroom and the other most likely the bathroom.  I couldn’t help but notice that there were no pictures of friends or family to be seen anywhere, making what Jonathan had said about Paul having nobody flash into my brain.  Huh, maybe Paul really didn’t have a family.

Paul closed and locked the door behind us, walking further into the house towards the far closed door.  “Just wait while I get the bathroom set up for you to clean up,” he said.

“O-okay,” I stuttered, shivering from the cold seeping into my bones from my damp clothes.  I kicked off my shoes and socks as I waited, my toes already all wrinkly from soaking in them for hours on end.  I pulled my sweater off over my head and set it on the floor in the tiled entryway with a sloshing noise.  I then pulled my book out of the plastic bag, tying it around my left arm so that my cast wouldn’t get ruined while I bathed.  At first, I was apprehensive about being naked in Paul’s apartment.  However, the more I thought about it, a hot shower after a cold, wet day did sound pretty nice— I just hope that the door locks.

Paul exited the bathroom, a large billow of white steam tailing behind him as he opened the door.  “It’s ready for you, Baby,” he smiled, gesturing at the open door.  “I’ll change and make us some dinner, sound good?”

It honestly did sound good; I was starving!  Yet, I mentally berated myself for being so accepting of Paul’s help since I was meant to be avoiding him right now.  However, as he helped me out in my time of need, it became harder and harder to convince myself that he was evil.  He was weird, no doubt about it.  But I was starting to realize that he wasn’t evil… but that also didn’t automatically translate into him being good, too.  I mean, I’d believed that Vincent was a good guy at the beginning of our relationship.  Therefore, I suppose it’s okay to accept help when its offered, but I can’t allow myself to use it as a means of measuring Paul’s character.  After all, Mom had said that there was something wrong about him, and I trusted her.

“Okay, thank you,” I said, walking over to the bathroom where Paul stood.  The steam felt so inviting and I could gradually feel the warmth seeping into my skin and nourishing my aching molecules.

“Just leave your clothes on the floor, and I’ll wash them for you before you have to leave for school tomorrow,” Paul said as I passed him.

“Th-thank you,” I repeated, unsure as to why he was helping me out so much.  Sure, he’d mentioned that he intended for me to be his, whatever that means.  However, I refused to let my guard down, fearful that he’d turn out to be Vincent 2: The Sequel.

I entered the steamy bathroom, flinching when I saw that the bathtub was filled to the brim with soapy water, a thick layer of bath time bubbles floating on top.  There was even a yellow rubber duck that bobbed in the water.

“Um, you drew me a bath?” I asked, unsure if my eyes were working correctly.  Last time I checked, I was a seventeen year-old young man, not a little kid.  Aren’t I a little big for a bath?

“Yep, you better hurry in before the water gets cold,” Paul said, closing the door shut behind me.  “I’ll start dinner up.  You get clean and make sure you scrub behind your ears, ‘kay?”

What the—?  “Um, o-okay?” 

This was officially too weird for me.  I looked at the closed door, frowning when I realized that there was no lock on it.  Whatever though, I reassured myself; Paul may be a lot of things, but he’s not a pervert (I hope).  Nevertheless, the sudsy water was calling my name and I slid off my clothes, tossing them to the ground like what Paul had told me to do.

I slid one foot in, feeling pins and needles as the hot water thawed my digits out.  The temperature was perfect, and I eagerly dipped the rest of my body under the water, keeping my left arm that was wrapped in plastic elevated in the air.  The water completely enveloped me and made my body ache a lot less, making me feel as if I were being caressed out of a block of ice.  Say what one may about Paul, but the man knew how to draw the perfect bath.

There wasn’t much in the way of hygiene products in the bathroom that I could see.  In the tub on the lip was a bottle of generic body wash and shampoo along with a blue wash cloth that I assumed Paul had intended for me to use.  I dunked my head under the water, blowing air out of my nose as I did so, making a lot of bubbles appear at the top.  The shampoo and body wash smelt like cheap body spray… and a lot like Paul, making me realize that I’d basically be a scented copy of him after my bath.

Whatever though.  I allowed myself to drop my inhibitions and just enjoy myself for the moment.  The water was so perfect that I couldn’t help but relax.  And the bubbles were so white and fluffy looking that they brought out the little kid in me, and I began to play with them a little bit.

I even formed a bubble beard on my chin, playfully stroking at it as I giggled.  “Hmm,” I mocked, trying to sound like one of those aristocratic gentlemen with beards that I’ve seen in the movies, “quite.”

“I’m glad you like the bath,” Paul chuckled, standing in the open doorway.

I jerked back and brought my right hand into the water to cover up my junk, my face turning bright red underneath the bubble beard.  “Oh, um, I-I was just w-washing my face,” I stammered, sinking down further into the water.

Paul nodded, that irritating smirk glued onto his face.  “Okay,” he nodded, setting a stack of clothes down on the counter.  “I brought you something to wear when you’re done.  Oh, and food’s ready.”  He paused at the door, running his dark eyes over my wet body, swallowing loudly.

“Okay, um, thank you,” I blushed, grabbing a tight hold of the shower curtain, pulling it between us to maintain a small shred of my dignity.  “I’ll be right out.”

He cleared his throat.  “Um, yeah, o-okay,” he said.  “I’ll be waitin’.”  He left the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Man, that was so embarrassing.  Groaning, I washed the bubble beard off my face and pulled the plug out of the bathtub, letting the water drain.  I stood up, my legs feeling a little wobbly from soaking in the hot water for so long.  Paul had also brought me a towel, and I dried off, marveling at how soft the cotton felt against my bare skin.

Of course Paul was a much larger man than me, both muscular and height-wise.  However, I wasn’t aware of how striking the differences were until I put on the clothes that he was kind enough to lend me.  The basketball shorts that he’d loaned me were two sizes too big and I had to tie the drawstring really tight on them so that they wouldn’t fall and reveal my pale butt to him.  And the t-shirt that I borrowed was so big that it looked more like a dress than a shirt.  I assumed that it would be a snug, muscle-forming shirt on the older man.  Yet on me, the sleeves almost reached my elbows and the bottom of the shirt brushed the middle of my thighs.

Taking one last hesitant look in the mirror, I tossed the plastic bag that had covered my cast into the trash can and then left the bathroom.

Paul was relaxing on the couch, two bowls resting on the tiny coffee table in front of him.  My breath caught in my throat as I realized that the man had changed into nothing but a pair of small, black boxers that contrasted against his tan, unblemished skin.  His legs were thick and I wasn’t oblivious to the sizable bulge in his lap.  However, most of my adolescent attention was centered in on that crazy muscular chest of his.  That man must’ve lived in a gym or something because I’ve never seen muscles like that except for on a roided-out action figure.  His pecs were expertly sculpted, displaying the upmost power as they rested on his massive chest.  And his abs were so defined that they’d make the perfect speed bumps for my Hot Wheels cars.  And the sparse sprinkling of dark chest hair made Paul look all the more manly.  The only other men I’ve seen shirtless in person were Jonathan and Vincent.  Jonathan had a beer gut going on and a tattoo of a Chinese character on his right pec that he said was supposed to represent bravery, but I swear that I’ve seen it on a take-out menu before.  And Vincent was built, but when compared to the sheer musculature of Paul, he looked like a toothpick.

Paul definitely noticed me looking because he took in a huge gulp of air, attempting to inflate his muscles to even larger proportions.  That man thought that I was one of those people who drooled over _Men’s Fitness_ magazine models… which I was secretly was.  But I would never admit to Paul that I find his body incredibly attractive.

“That shirt fits you well,” he grinned, running his dark eyes all over my small body.  Was he joking? Because the shirt that I was wearing was way too big to be a good fit for me.  It reminded me of when I was a toddler and my mom would have me wear one of her t-shirts to bed.  Or when I was a bit older and I’d wear one of Jonathan’s shirts which always smelt like Velveeta for some odd reason.

“Um, thank you for helping me out,” I mumbled.  “I can have my parents pay you back for the inconvenience.”  In no way was Jonathan or Mom going to give me money to give to Paul, but it just felt like the right thing to say.  If he truly wanted some compensation, then I could just dip into my car savings fund.

Paul snorted and shook his head.  “Darren,” he scoffed, “I’m doing this to take care of my baby, not for a couple of bucks.”

There he went calling me “Baby” again, but instead of correcting him, I pursed my lips and took the offered couch cushion next to him.  He handed me a small bowl of food and when I peered into it, I inwardly chuckled to find that it was macaroni and cheese with tiny, cut-up hot dogs in it.  Wow, I haven’t eaten this since I was, like, eight or nine.

“Thank you,” I quietly said.

“Of course,” Paul grinned, scooting closer to me on the tiny couch as he began to shovel food into his mouth.  His entire side was pressed again mine, and his intense body heat warmed me up again, making me almost feel relaxed.  “I mean, it is my job to take care of my baby.”

However, I wasn’t allowing myself to one-hundred percent let down my defenses in the presence of this man.  My parents didn’t trust him.  Jonathan didn’t like anyone (and vice versa), but Mom had a level head and always looked out for my best interests.  Hence, because of her warnings, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to spending the night in Paul’s apartment.  On the other hand, it was better than sleeping out in the rain.  My mind was assaulted with so much conflicting feelings and thoughts.  I was supposed to avoid Paul because he was “dangerous”.  Yet, he referred to me as his baby and he wanted to take care of me.  It seemed ridiculous to me that there was a resident town, for a lack of a better word, villain who seemed to have a soft spot for me.  Was it possible for a bad guy to be able to be a good guy for a single person? I don’t know.

Vincent had seemed like my knight in shining armor when we’d first met.  However, after dating him for a little bit, he proved to be the dragon instead.  And I was petrified with the thought of making that same mistake again.  Paul seemed to be nice, but he also had some possessive tendencies to him, which were of course red flags.

All in all, I don’t know.  It bothered me that this was a code that I was unable to crack.  But something deep inside my gut (I think it’s called “Instincts”) told me to trust Paul; my brain, making my dilemma worse, screamed at me to strengthen my mental force field and block him out.  I didn’t know who to pay attention to.

Instead of trying to deduce what Paul’s ulterior motives were, I shut my mouth and ate the dinner that he’d prepared for me.  Since it was pretty difficult to mess up macaroni and cheese, it was pretty good, and I finished every bite in the bowl.  “Thank you,” I repeated, standing up from the soft couch to put the bowl in the sink.

Paul frowned and grabbed onto the bottom of the shirt I was wearing, stopping me in my tracks.  “Where’re you off to?” he asked, giving me a mock-frown.

I held the empty bowl up higher in the air.  “Um, I was going to put this away?” I wondered, a little confused by his reaction.  I thought that I was only being a good houseguest.

Paul waved his hand in the air, snatching the dish from me.  “I’ll get it later,” he said, placing it back on the coffee table in front of us before patting the empty cushion next to him.  “C’mon, sit with Daddy.”

There he went being weird again.  “Wh-why do you call yourself that?” I asked, my voice getting a little higher due to my nerves.  At the end of the day, I could find out more about the Crescent City Cult and its leader by going to the source, I suppose.  I just hoped that this wasn’t a ‘Curiosity Killed the Cat’ kind of situation.

Paul scoffed, rolling his eyes as he tugged more on the shirt, making me plop down next to him.  He wrapped a heavy arm around my small shoulders, pulling me in closer to his warm body.  “‘Cause,” he smirked, leaning down to whisper into my ear, “if you’re my baby, then that makes me your daddy.”

Well, I mean, I couldn’t quite argue with his logic there.  

“You want to be my dad?” I asked, grimacing at the sheer thought of having my actual father (if I knew him) being so physically close to me with the kisses, the wrapping his arm around me, and the declaration of me being his.

“No, Baby,” he chuckled.  “That’s not what I’m saying.  There’s a difference between ‘Dad’ and ‘Daddy’, ya know?”

“There is?”

Paul leaned in closer to me, eliminating any space between us.  “Darren, haven’t you ever had a boyfriend before?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me, almost as if he were interrogating me.  I could even see his chest freeze, as if he were holding his breath in anticipation for my answer.

I shook my head.  “I-I’m not gay,” I stuttered, feeling my cheeks turn beet red from lying.  Darn, why can’t I lie better? Why couldn’t I just be like normal teenagers my own age and be social and straight?

Paul’s jaw clenched and he sharply exhaled.  “Sure,” he spat.  “But let’s just say you were and you did have a boyfriend, ‘kay? Would you have called him ‘Daddy’?”

That was kind of funny considering that Vincent had tried to get me to call him “Daddy”, particularly when we’d have sex.  However, I was never quite on board with it, feeling a little weird calling someone just a year older than me that.  Other than that, he wasn’t exactly what I would classify as a “Caregiver”, so there was no way I’d refer to him with a parental title.  

I shook my head at Paul.  “No,” I admitted.  This was a little uncomfortable since I wasn’t used to being so candid with another human being, even if I was partly lying throughout it.  I liked to keep people at an arm’s distance.  Vincent had taught me that it was a necessity.

Paul nodded to himself.  “Okay,” he mused, rubbing my side as he spoke, making my arms break out with goosebumps.  “Well, Baby, I gotta be honest with you: Daddy’s growing a little impatient.”

What was that supposed to mean? I tried to lean away from Paul, but he kept me trapped to his side with his strong, muscled-up arm.  I could feel the blood drain from my face and my fingers went back to being numb out of fright.  He was going to kill me now.  He lured me to his house and lowered my defenses with bubble baths and Kraft dinners, and now he’s going to chop me up into tiny pieces!  Why?!

My terrified expression must’ve been a sight to see because Paul huffed and wrapped his other arm around me, yanking my limp body into a giant bear hug.  “Darren, look at me,” he ordered, his deep voice full of authority.

I glanced up at him, seeing that he was staring down at me with his dark eyes full of sincerity.

“Daddy will never hurt his baby,” he cooed, running a calloused hand over my trembling cheek, making me flinch unconsciously.  That only made his frown deepen, making him tighten his hold on me.  “Daddy was just talking about how he can’t wait for tomorrow.  Because after that, everything will be revealed and then we can really get things started.”

That didn’t really make me feel any better.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I asked, wiggling myself out of his hold and leaping to my feet.  I’ve seen enough horror movies to know a deranged psychopath when I’ve come face to face with one.  There was no way Paul was going to kill me and feed me to his cannibalistic cult!  Something was going down tomorrow, that much was clear.  And I severely doubted that I wanted to know what it was.

“Baby, sit back down,” Paul sighed, pointing at the empty cushion expectantly.

I almost felt my legs begin to move back towards the couch, but instead, I willed my body to take a couple steps towards the front door, making double sure not to turn my back on Paul.

Paul muttered something to himself, standing up from the couch as well, sauntering over to me.  As he moved, his bulk swayed from side to side, further exemplifying his brute strength and authority.  “The only reason why I’m not gonna punish you for not listening to Daddy is because I haven’t told you yet,” he smirked, chuckling a little bit at what he’d said.  “Although I gotta admit, I’m very tempted.”

…why? Just, why?

I took another backwards step toward the front door, not exactly having a plan in mind.  Even if I ran out of Paul’s place, where would I go? I couldn’t exactly go home because I’d missed curfew and Jonathan wouldn’t let me inside.  And even if he would, there was no way I could explain to him that I’d taken a bubble bath at his high school bully’s apartment.

“Baby, stop being dramatic,” Paul snorted, reaching forward and gently grabbing my wrist in his strong grasp.  “Let’s sit back down and we can do something else, sound good?”

“Do what?” I trembled.

Paul pursed his lips as he began to lead me back to the couch.  “Um, we can look at my yearbook,” he suggested.  “Then you can show me pics of your mom, and I can see if I… um, recognize her.”

“Um, sure?” I hesitantly agreed.  Now Paul was interested in my mom? Maybe he was going to induct her into the cult instead of me… well, I mean, survival of the fittest, right? I took a seat on the couch, scooting over to the edge where I practically rested over the arm rest.

Paul rolled his eyes at my childishness, but then stalked off towards the other closed door in the apartment, which I assumed was his bedroom.  “By the way, Baby,” he called out as he searched for his yearbook, “we have to go over some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?” I dreadfully repeated.  That didn’t sound good.

“Yep,” Paul beamed as he stomped back into the living room, a hardcover book tucked under his arm.  “Right now, I’m going to give you two rules to follow until tomorrow night.  Then we can go over the rest.”

“I'm sorry, what?” I asked, unsure if I'd heard him correctly.  “I'm not sure I understand.”

Paul continued to smirk and stalk closer to me, blocking off any escape now.  “I'm giving you two rules to follow, just two: One, you're mine and only mine; and Two, call me ‘Daddy.’”

How does one even respond to that? “I’m not following you,” I muttered, having absolutely zero clues regarding what he was spouting on about.  Earlier, he’d claimed that he’d make me his, but I wasn’t exactly sure what that entailed.  His victim? His prey? His BFF? Hopefully, it’s that last one.

“Holy crap, Baby,” Paul sighed as he threw himself down on the couch, once again pressing our sides together, “most people would’ve grasped this by now.”  

“I’m not most people,” I murmured, still confused as to what he was saying.

“Oh, I know that,” he smiled.  He then set the yearbook on his lap and began to flip through the pages, until he stopped on a certain one.  “Here’s my junior year photo.” 

I looked down at the picture that Paul was pointing at, seeing that he looked pretty much the same, just with more baby weight in his face.  Even in high school, the guy had gorgeous, clear skin and a smirk that screamed “Confidence”.  Man, his school years must’ve been a breeze.  Then I noticed another picture on the page, making me burst out into hysterics.

“Oh my God,” I giggled, “is that Jonathan?”

Poor Jonathan.  Now I understand why he always spoke about high school with such malice in his voice.  His skin was disgustingly red and bumpy with acne and his greasy hair was bleach blond, as was the supposed style back in the day.  The cherry on top was that he had massive headgear on that made his head look kind of like a pimply humanoid Saturn.  There was no way I’d ever forget this moment.

Even Paul began to laugh along with me, tears forming in our eyes at Jonathan’s misfortune.  “Yeah, I gave him so much crap all throughout high school,” he guffawed.  “No wonder he hates my guts.  In fact, there was this one time we stole this retainer in senior year and dunked it in the toilet.  Then Justin gave it back to him without him knowing.  We called him ‘Shit Mouth’ at Graduation.”

That’s brutal, and normally I’d be a little put off, but it was Jonathan so it was funny.

Based on the year printed on the book’s spine, it was safe to assume that Mom’s photo would be in here as well.  Paul had mentioned earlier at the diner that I’d looked familiar to him, and I bet that it was because Mom and I shared a lot of physical attributes: same color hair, color eyes, same round chin, and we even had the same soft voice.

“Why don’t you show me your mom?” Paul suggested, handing me the book and maneuvering his arm to its previous position around my shoulders.

Ignoring the man who had no concept of personal space, I flipped through the pages to the lower class men.  Paul’s yearbook had numerous scribbles from friends and acquaintances within the pages; he must’ve been really popular at school.  My yearbooks were pretty much empty except for a few signatures from the Chess or Journalism Club— yes, I’m that guy.  Anyway, in the freshman section, there was picture of a young girl with pink-dyed hair and way too much eyeliner: Mom.

“That’s my mom,” I said, pointing at her picture, “Laura Estrada.”

Paul leaned down to take a closer look at the picture.  “Laura Estrada?” he muttered to himself, his eyes growing wide and his body tensing up.

“You know,” I continued, “she was probably pregnant with me while she took this picture.  So I guess, technically, we’re in the same yearbook.”  I gave a little laugh at the end of my supposed-to-be joke, but judging by Paul’s stone-still, pale face, it wasn’t even remotely funny.

Paul’s arm recoiled as if I were a hot plate and he leapt up from the couch, his hands trembling and his Adam’s apple quivering.  “Holy shit,” he cursed under his breath.  “I’m… I’m—”

This was weird; usually I was the one having a freak out.  Yet, there I was sitting still on the couch while Paul was wrecked with nerves from God knows what, grabbing at his short hair in a panic.  His mighty chest heaved as he began to hyperventilate and his face was completely void of color.  What was going on?

“Um, Paul?” I asked, setting the yearbook down onto the coffee table.  “Is everything okay?”

The older, scared witless man whipped his head over to face me.  As soon as his dark eyes raked over me, he swallowed loudly and took an uncertain step away from me.  “I, um, I gotta g-go,” he rushed, spinning around on his heels and bolting towards the front door.

“Wh-what?” I cried.  “Should I leave?” I didn’t want to be at a crazy person’s house all by myself!

“No!” Paul roared, the glass windows vibrating from his powerful, booming voice.  “You stay here and get some sleep for school tomorrow.  Oh shit… Um, just— fuck, uh, just sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“I-is everything okay?” I wondered, feeling immensely uneasy.  I wasn’t used to being the non-panicking party.  It was an odd experience.  I stood up from the couch and made a move towards the terrified man.

Paul held up his beefy hand and shook his head.  “Go to bed,” he ordered, pointing towards the bedroom door.  “Just, please do as Daddy says— oh fuck!”  He flinched and shook his head wildly from side to side.  “What the fuck is wrong with me?!”  I’ve been asking that for a couple days…

“Paul?” I asked again, staying put this time lest the deranged psycho lash out.

“I have to go talk to my beta,” he barked, exiting the apartment in a huff.  Before slamming the door, he turned back to look at me from the entryway, his forehead ruffled and his eyes wide with fear.  “Um, Ba— Darren, um, just stay here and I’ll be back later, ‘kay?”

“Where are you going?” I asked again, extremely confused.  I’ve never felt so lost before in my entire life.

“Just listen to Daddy and stay here!” Paul roared, slamming the door shut behind him and leaving me all by myself.

What just happened?


	10. Step on The Floor

“Step on The Floor” - capsule

_The music / Step on the floor / Let’s jump into my dream / I can’t stop my love for you / I can’t stop my love for you_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

**[Darren, First Boyfriend]**   
****

_I couldn’t imagine a more perfect night.  Vincent had taken me out on my first date ever, even remembering that I’d mentioned in class that my favorite food was Korean.  And then after the delicious dinner that he bought me, he took me to the nice theater that was built on the the edge of town where we watched an awesome_ Kaiju _movie.  I love giant monster movies, and this was pretty good._  
 ****

_However, I honestly can’t recall too much of the film because Vincent had commanded my full attention.  We made sure to sit in the back row so that others couldn’t see us, and throughout the entire movie, Vincent kept his heavy arm draped over my shoulders, keeping me close to his large and warm body.  My stomach had butterflies and I couldn’t help but feel an enormous smile breaking out on my adolescent face._

_All in all, it was a very innocent date, and I liked that.  Vincent didn’t push my boundaries.  He knew that I was shy, and that I wasn’t an extrovert or eager to jump out and go on excursions.  And he paid everywhere we went since I didn’t have a job— but that wasn’t a requirement or anything like that.  If I did have a source of income, then I definitely would’ve insisted on paying my way, not wanting to have to rely on a man to take care of me._

_Eventually, by the end of the night, he drove me home and even walked me up to my front door.  The whole way up the path to my house, I scanned the windows for any source of light or shadows that looked like people, making double sure that Mom or Jonathan wouldn’t see me getting out of a boy’s car at night.  Vincent, on the other hand, was rubbing the back of his neck nervously, wrapping his free arm around my small shoulders again.  He sure did like to keep a hold onto me… cute._

_“So, um, I really enjoyed our date tonight,” he anxiously grinned as soon as we reached the door._

_I nodded.  “Me too,” I smiled, feeling my cheeks start to burn bright red under the beautiful stare of the hunk in front of me.  “I’m looking forward to next time.”  I bit my tongue after that last part, trying to hint that I was down for another date.  And now all I had to do was receive confirmation that Vincent was too._

_“Oh, absolutely,” he said.  “Me too.”_

_Yes!  I was finally seeing someone (kinda).  After years and years of being in the closet, I was finally getting to take a peek outside and see what this dating-thing was all about.  There was no way that I was going to come one-hundred percent all the way out; in fact, Vincent was the only guy who knew that I had an interest in men in the first place.  And my initial instinct had been to turn him down when he’d asked me out, but being in the closet is lonely.  Safe, but extremely lonely._

_I pulled my house key out of my back pocket and was about to go inside and say “Goodnight” to Vincent, when he yanked on my arm and puled me into him.  Before my mind could piece together what was happening, I felt a pair of rough lips on mine.  Buff arms snaked their way around my torso, trapping me against the wall of muscle, the owner moaning as he lapped along my bottom lip._

_At first, I was lost in the euphoria at experiencing my first kiss, but then my terror spiked as soon as I realized that Jonathan or my mom could come outside at any moment._

_Quickly, I shoved away from Vincent and took a giant step away from the shocked young man whose lips were red and puffy._

_His eyes widened and he held his hands up in surrender.  “Oh shit!” he cursed.  “I’m s-sorry, Darren!  I should’ve asked.  It’s just that I really like you a lot and I want you to be my boyfriend, so I thought that if I kissed you then you’d feel it too and—”_

_“It’s okay,” I whispered, putting a tender hand on his shoulder and nervously glancing at the door.  Luckily, there was no sign of anyone awake inside._

_Vincent shook his head, his shoulders slumping.  “You don’t have to say that,” he muttered in the most pitiful voice that I’ve ever heard, making a shard of guilt eviscerate my insides.  “I’ll just leave you alone now.”  He turned around and began to slowly walk back towards his car, his head hung low and his body slouched over in a way that made the guy look like an abused puppy._

_It tore at my heartstrings and I rushed after him.  “Wait!” I called, taking a small grip onto his tight shirt._

_Vincent stopped and turned around, erecting his posture and fighting a grin.  “Yes?” he asked._

_“I’m sorry,” I apologized, although I’m not sure why.  It just felt like the right thing to do after I’d inadvertently hurt the man’s feelings— ugh, I felt so guilty.  “I-I would like to be your boyfriend, really I would.”_

_“But?” Vincent pressed, narrowing his eyes at me._

_Again, I took an anxious look over my shoulder at my house.  “I’m not out,” I explained.  “I’m not out, and if my parents find out I’m gay, then they’ll throw me out.”_

_Vincent looked down at me, further exemplifying our height difference.  He chewed on his lip for a second and then smiled.  “Don’t worry, Darren,” he cooed, placing a warm hand on my cheek, “stay with me, and I’ll make sure no one finds out your little secret.”_

_I slowly nodded.  “So… does that mean?” I pressed, trying to gain a better understanding of what was going on._

_Vincent nodded back, his arms making a return around my waist.  “That means you’re all mine,” he smirked.  “My boyfriend, no one else’s.”_

_Well, that was a weird way of putting it…  But who cares? I have a boyfriend!_

**★⌒Ｙ⌒Ｙ⌒Ｙ⌒Ｙ⌒ ヾ(oﾟДﾟ)ﾉ**   
****

**[Paul, Present Day]**   
****

Oh shit!  OH SHIT!  
 ****

This was bad, holy shit.  This was so fucking bad!  I bolted across the awning, shoving my way past my pack brothers and sisters, each of them cocking a worried eyebrow at the sight of their alpha having a freakout.  I practically leapt over the railing once I reached the stairs, landing hard on my feet as I sprinted over to my beta’s apartment.

He’ll know what to do, I told myself.  He’d had a similar experience, kinda.

_Mate?_ my inner wolf whimpered, desperately trying to piece everything together like I was.  _Mate is our pup?_

“I fuckin’ hope not,” I hissed at him.  But the evidence was all there.  
 ****

Back before I became the alpha of the Crescent City Pack, my old man was a little weary of passing the torch to me because of my, *ahem, sexual preferences.  Although he never outright said it, I knew that he was worried that I wouldn’t do as good a job as he did because I was gay.  In his defense, the dude had to go through a lot of shit while he was the alpha.  He defended our territory from rival packs, fought off numerous vampires that liked to dwell in the forest, and even defeated an alpha who challenged him for my mom as his mate.  All of the fighting and battles seriously depleted the pack’s resources, hence we don’t live in some extravagant place.  But still, I was a firm believer (as was the rest of the pack) that it didn’t matter where/how we lived, it was more important that we were safe and together.  My dad pooled together what little money he had left and bought the old, abandoned motel that the pack lives in.  Him, me, and his beta fixed the building up with our bare hands, working day and night to provide a shelter for our pack.

But anyway, when I was sixteen, I felt I needed to prove that I was a man to my father.  So I sought out the easiest girl in high school: Laura Estrada.  Numerous stories regarding her and several other guys floated around school.  So I knew that it wouldn’t be too hard to court her and get her to sleep with me.  The way I figured it, if we had sex, then that’d prove that I was straight and great alpha-material… it made sense in my head at the time.

Luckily for me, all it took for Laura to sleep with me was a date to a pizza joint and a crappy b-movie at the discount theater.  I can’t even recall the lines that I’d used on her in order to convince her to come inside my place and into my bed, but it honestly wasn’t much.

While we had sex, I concentrated on the memories of the Calvin Klein models that I’d seen in the magazines, pretending that Laura was one of those men so that I could maintain my boner.  And I’ll admit that it felt good, and eventually I even found myself enjoying having sex with a girl.  I’d even gotten so lost in the moment, that I didn’t feel my wolf creeping up to the surface as I climaxed, his instincts spiking as I did so.  He almost took control and I could feel my teeth grow jagged as I came, and my eyes began to burn as they glowed that yellowish color.

And Laura saw the whole damn thing.  

The sight of my werewolf fangs and monstrous eyes must’ve terrified the poor human, because in a flash, she swung out her fist which painfully collided with my jaw, making me pull out and lurch back.  I didn’t even have a chance to apologize or come up with a lie as to explain what she’d just seen.  In a matter of milliseconds, Laura had scooped up all of her belongings in her arms and sprinted out of my place.

I never saw her again after that.  I later heard from Jonathan, some pathetic loser who everybody knew was obsessed with Laura (seriously, he scribbled her name all throughout his notebook and even followed behind her to/from school), that she’d been shipped off to Texas to live with her aunt.

I swear, I never knew that she was pregnant with my child.  If I did, then I totally would’ve stepped up and done everything to be a good father to my son.  But now, that’s completely fucked up too.

From the very second that I saw my Darren as he was walking to school and I was riding my bike, my inner wolf began to howl out, _Mine!  Mate!_ I’d been waiting thirty-four long years to find my other half, and I was elated that it was someone like Darren.  He was so adorable with his small smile and his gorgeous blue eyes.  And my poor boy was so shy and small that my protective instincts screamed out at me to just snatch him up and keep him.

But I couldn’t ignore how he looked so much like someone that I used to know.  And when Darren had mentioned that his mother’s name was Laura and how he’d never met his dad, I’d begun to suspect that something was up.  I mean, he was seventeen, which was the same exact number of years that it’s been since I slept with Laura.  And then tonight, when Darren pointed at the picture of Laura Estrada in my yearbook, I knew that it was true: my mate is my son.

I was so sick, I was so fucking sick!  Already, I was beating myself up because my insecurities taunted me over and over, saying that there was no fuckin’ way that I deserved a guy like Darren.  He was a gentle soul who was so sweet and kind.  He reminded me of something so pure that I felt so disgustingly dirty just being around him.  And his innocent outlook on life made me all the more protective, wanting to keep his mind safe from the dangers of the world as well.  And yet, there I was: a thirty-something year-old man who was a high school dropout and who bounced from job to job.  Shit, I wasn’t even that great of an alpha, presiding over one of the poorest packs in California.  

But that wasn’t even the worst of it.  I can’t be attracted to my own son!  That just doesn’t happen in the real world!  Fathers and sons aren’t meant to fall in love and be soulmates!  And yet, whenever I thought about Darren, I could feel a foreign fluttering in my chest and feel a large, goofy smile form on my love-stricken face.  And whenever I see him, my body goes on autopilot and I can’t help but move closer, desperate to just hold him or even be near him.  And each and every time my eyes hone in on that fuckin’ cast on his arm, my inner wolf snarls and beats himself up over the fact that we weren’t there to protect him from whatever it was that broke it— it wasn’t a fuckin’ skateboard.  And all of those combined confirmed what I felt in the pit of my stomach: I’m already in love with Darren, without a doubt.

I’m in love with my son.

I finally reached my beta’s door and banged loudly on it with my fist, frantic to get some advice on how to proceed now that I know the truth.  Do I tell Darren? Do I keep it a secret? Do I continue to see him, but in a nonromantic way? Do I leave him alone and let him move on without me?

Heavy footsteps made their way over to the front door, and an irritated-looking Justin flung it open.  “What?” he slurred, rubbing the sleep from his tired eyes.

“We need to talk,” I muttered, shoving my way past him and stomping inside his apartment.  The living room was void of anyone else, so Ronnie must’ve been asleep in their bedroom.

Justin sighed and massaged his temples.  “I’ve told you a million times already,” Justin muttered, “Ronnie said that Darren is a closed book and won’t say anything about his past life in Texas.  But he seems like an okay kid.  I’m sure everything’s fine with him.”  Yeah, I’ve asked Justin to have Ronnie keep an eye on Darren at school for me.

“That’s not it,” I whimpered, sitting down at the table and holding my head in my hands.  “You got any beer?”

“You okay, Alpha?” Justin asked, walking over to the fridge to toss me a beer.

I eagerly yanked the cap off and began to chug down the bitter liquid, eager to calm my nerves and figure out what the hell to do.

“Is is Darren?” he wondered, taking the seat that was across the small table from me.

I groaned, nodding.  “Do you remember back in high school,” I muttered, “a freshman by the name of Laura Estrada?”

“Everybody remembers Loose Laura,” Justin chuckled, opening up a beer for himself.  He jokingly raised his glass at me.  “I even recall that you two were quite acquainted as well.”

Oh God…  “Darren’s her son,” I groaned, wincing as soon as the words left my mouth.

Justin ruffled up his forehead and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head.  “But he’s seventeen,” he frowned.  “And you and Laura did it… seventeen years ago…”  Slowly, his eyes began to widen and he dropped his beer, letting the golden liquid pool up on the table.  “Holy shit!”

It was stupidly ironic.  Justin, me, and another pack brother of ours, Rhett, were really into having our significant others call us “Daddy”.  I can’t explain it exactly, but the thought of having someone to take care of, someone who depended on me, and someone who loved me unconditionally made my pants feel tighter.  Sure, some may describe me as having a Daddy!Kink, but whatever.  I liked being called “Daddy” and I liked being in charge and I liked being the alpha male, so sue me.  

But never in a million years did I think that I’d be a “Dad”!  And I never thought that I’d have my son for a mate!  Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?!

“Y’know,” Justin hummed, “now that you mention it, Darren does have your eyebrows.”

I glared at my beta, baring my fangs at him.

Justin chuckled and held his hands up in mock-surrender.  “Hey, you Martinez guys have bushy eyebrows,” he laughed.  “So what?”

“This is serious!” I whined, dramatically throwing my hands up into the air.  “My son is my mate!”

There was a gasp from the other side of the apartment, Ronnie stepping into the living room with a hand over her shocked mouth.  “Darren’s your son?!” she cried out, looking over at her mate for confirmation.  Oh great…  Ronnie may be a nice girl, but she has a huge mouth.

Before I could say anything or pressure her into keeping quiet, Justin stood up from his seat, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  “What are you doing out of bed?” he asked her, using his authoritative, “Daddy-voice” that he reserved just for her.  “I told you that you have to go to bed early because you keep complaining about how tired you are in the morning before school.”

Ronnie began to blush and she balled up her fists.  “B-but!” she whined.

“Are you saying that you’re not gonna listen to Daddy?” Justin tested, cocking his eyebrow at her.

“Fine!” Ronnie groaned, throwing her head back in defeat.  She spun around on her heels to go back to the bedroom when Justin cleared his throat.

“Hey!” he called at her, making her freeze in her spot.  “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Ronnie looked confused for a moment before shrugging.

“Where’s Daddy’s ‘Goodnight Kiss’?” He signaled with his fingers for her to step forward.  “C’mere.”

All confusion melted away from Ronnie’s face, being replaced with a wide smile as she happily skipped across the room before flinging herself her daddy’s open arms.  “Goodnight, Daddy,” she said before pressing her lips onto his.

Justin, trying to continue to look all tough and authoritative for his baby, faltered, and a large, goofy smile crept onto the tough-guy’s face as he held his mate in his arms.  “Goodnight, Baby,” he grinned.

_One day, that’ll be us and Mate_ , my inner wolf purred, happily imagining Darren in my arms, calling me “Daddy”.  The sheer thought of that made my cock twitch and I unconsciously licked my lips.  Yeah, I’m in trouble.

“Goodnight, Alpha,” Ronnie sang as she scurried back to her and Justin’s bedroom.

Justin sat back down, that love-induced grin still glued all over his giddy face.  “See, it’s not that bad,” he mused, glancing back over at me.  “So your mate’s your son? Don’t you remember how freaked out I was when I found out Ronnie was my mate?”

I do.  Justin was nineteen when he met Ronnie, who happened to be his dad’s new wife’s infant daughter.  He was terrified that he found his mate in his brand new, underage step-sister.  But he convinced himself that he could just deal and be her big brother, spending nearly all of his free time with her.  However, it eventually became too hard for him to think of the two of them as “just friends”, and when Ronnie turned fifteen, Justin told her everything.  He explained that he was a werewolf and that she was his mate, which meant that he was hopelessly and forever in love with her.  Ronnie had just shrugged, muttering, “‘Kay.”  And that was that.  Ronnie moved in with him, telling their parents that it was because they were just close siblings and nothing wrong was going on.  Because Justin wasn’t werewolf by birth and his father was only human, their parents bought it, having no idea that their children were in a relationship.  And surprisingly, Ronnie had no problem adjusting to the Daddy!Kink, claiming that it was easy and rather exciting (and she’d mentioned that Justin was naturally bossy, so it was nothing too different).

“I thought that I could handle just being a big brother,” Justin continued, “but my inner wolf wouldn’t have it.  And to this day, I have no regrets at all.  I gotta tell ya, Alpha, the best fuckin’ feeling in the whole damn world is wakin’ up with your mate in your arms.”

Fuck, he was right.  Although I’ve never had the pleasure of holding Darren in my arms in that way, I knew for certain that it’d be the most amazing thing that I’d ever experience in my pathetic life.  Damn it, I’m in love with the boy.  I already know it.  But I can’t force him to be in a relationship with his own father.  

“I don’t know,” I admitted, pinching the skin above my nose in irritation.  Darren would hate me, without a frickin’ doubt.  If I told him, after all the attempted courting that I’ve tried, and the after the stolen kisses, and after the declarations of my intention to make him all mine, there was no way he’d accept the fact that I was his dad too.  And there was no way I could deal with the thought of my precious mate hating me.  Just the mentioning of it caused my inner wolf to yelp out in excruciating pain.

Justin slowly rose from his chair and made his way over to my slumped over body, placing a warm hand on my bare shoulder.  “Alpha, forgive me,” he said, “but I need to point something out if you decide to refuse your mate.”

My jaw clenched and I looked up at my beta, already knowing where he was going with this.

He cleared his throat.  “Imagine Darren finding someone else,” he hesitantly said, his body tensing up as he readied himself to run in case I lashed out.  “Imagine him falling for another man.  That man, not you, will be the one to hold him at night.  He’ll be the one who gets to make love to your boy.”  His voice grew low and he coughed a little bit, noticing the snarls that were beginning to form in my chest.  “Your boy will call that man, ‘Daddy’.  Not you.”

I nearly phased in the cramped apartment.  Darren will never call another man “Daddy”.  I’m his daddy!  No one else!  Darren’s mine, and only mine!  And I’ll beat the shit out of any man who tries to take him away from me!

“Fine!” I growled, my body trembling and hunched over as I tried to control my breathing so that my wolf wouldn’t come to the surface at the thought of another man with _my_ boy.  “He’s mine.”

“I’m sorry I had to do that, Alpha,” Justin apologized, taking a small step away from me.  “But that’s what helped me realize that I wanted Ronnie.  Maybe you don’t have to tell Darren that you’re his father.  What he doesn’t know what hurt him, right?”

Slowly, I nodded.  No, Darren will never know that I’m his Dad, instead of just his Daddy.  No, to him,  I’ll just be his Daddy and he’ll be my Baby.  And after I tell him about my werewolf status tonight, he’ll realize that he’s also my mate.

_My mate_ , my inner wolf repeated.  _No one else’s.  Mine._

**(￣ー￣(｡-_-｡*)ゝ**   
****

**[Darren, Present Day]**   
****

Growing up, I’ve frequently been told that I’m the epitome of the striking difference between school and street smarts.  To begin, I have straight A’s and hardly ever miss a question on a test (I even do the extra credit when not needed just to give myself a safety net).  On the other hand, while in my late teen years, I totally got into the vehicle of a stranger and even went to said stranger’s house, going so far to take a bubble bath there too.  I’d had a sinking feeling that it wasn’t the brightest idea to go to Paul’s place.  And now, I’m there by myself, dressed in his oversized clothes, wondering where he ran off to while having an episodic freakout.

It was weird and out of the blue.  One second, we were sitting side by side on his sofa, looking at the pictures in his yearbook.  Then after looking at a photo of my mom, he seemed to lose all color in his face and bolt.  I have no clue as to what his problem was.

Logic dictates that I leave and go home.  Unfortunately for me, I missed curfew and that meant that Jonathan won’t let me inside the house because he’s mean like that.  Therefore, I was left with two options: 1). Stay here and wait for Paul to return, if he does at all; or 2). Go find a nice bus stop to sleep on.  In all honesty, the second one was rather appealing at the moment, given all the uncomfortable situations and phrases Paul had done/said to me.  

I still couldn’t get over the fact that he intended for me to call him “Daddy” and to be his… whatever.  I wasn’t exactly clear on what I’d be to him, but he implied that there would be ownership over me.  No thank you.

“Oh, this is bad,” I groaned to myself, sinking into the comfy couch, wondering what to do with my hectic and frazzled life.  When I wake up, it’ll officially be Friday, meaning that I’d be expected to go on that awkward double-date thing with Ronnie and Lola… and Paul.  I mean, that is if Paul even still wants to go.  Perhaps he finally snapped to his senses and realized that he was being a pervy old man.  One could only hope, right?

I sat up and looked at the picture of my fourteen year-old mother, trying to find anything in it that could set off a thirty-something year-old man.  When I thought about it, it was kind of funny given the situation of the high school here.  I mean, Jonathan had mentioned that Paul had gotten a girl pregnant while in high school, and my mom was pregnant with me in high school.  Wouldn’t it be funny if Mom and Paul’s girlfriend knew each other? They could’ve formed a Prego Club!

All joking aside, I really needed to come up with an actual game plan regarding Paul and his weird behavior.  I couldn’t have an overly-attached grown man following me around this small beach town.  It was inappropriate and would, without a doubt, get me outed and kicked out of my house.  I’ve heard of online public schooling, but then that’d mean that I’d have to spend all day cooped up in the house with Jonathan, which seemed to be even worse than having to deal with Paul.  I could just go all out and fake my death, dye my hair and change my name— the whole works.  But I seriously doubt that Mom would approve of me changing my name… and I can’t even think up a good one on the spot.

Or, and this was the big kicker, I could just sit him down and explain calmly and nicely that I don’t share those same feelings with him.  I mean sure, Paul is very attractive with his sexy muscles and killer smile, and I really do appreciate him rescuing me from Port Steele, and the jerk in me kind of liked the way his existence irritated my stepdad, but there was no way that I was ready for any kind of relationship right now.  I wasn’t out of the closet and I was still getting over the trauma caused by Vincent.

This was too much for me to handle sometimes.  Therefore, I decided to just curl up on the couch and sleep there.  It was incredibly awkward to be staying at someone’s place while they weren’t there, so I wasn't one-hundred percent comfortable with sleeping in Paul’s bed.  Luckily, I didn’t have to concentrate on any of the weird events that were going on, because I was quickly out like a light thanks to my exhausting exclusion earlier.

**( ु⁎ᴗᵨᴗ⁎)ु.zZ**   
****

I could feel my skin gradually warm up as the rising sun casted its beams across me.  It was an indescribable sensation that I basked in while sleeping on Paul’s couch.  My bones were no longer freezing cold; they were quite the opposite actually.  It was as if my entire body was submerged into one of Paul’s world famous bubble baths again: hyperbolically tranquil.  Even my brain was affected, relaxing in an unheard of state, free of worry and anxiety for the first time since I’ve moved to Crescent City.  I don’t even remember using a pillow when I’d fallen asleep, but the one that I was using was firm, yet soft as it radiated immense heat into my head, further prolonging my lax state of mind.  Unconsciously, the corners of my mouth pulled up into a lazy smile and I nuzzled my face deeper into the pillow.

Something heavy draped over my waist and I felt the pillow vibrate as a hum echoed throughout the room, making me snap out of my relaxed haze and sit up to look down in horror.

“Good morning, Baby,” a smug-looking Paul yawned as he stretched his massive arms above his big head until a pop sounded out.

“Wha-wha—?!” I panicked, frantically looking around me, finding out that I was no longer on the couch.  Instead I was on a large bed that had some pretty cheap-looking bedsheets on it, in a small bedroom— Paul’s bedroom.  I was in Paul’s bedroom, lying down in Paul’s bed, and I’d just used his bare chest as a pillow.  How did he even manage to carry me in here without me waking up?!

Paul rubbed at his eyes with one hand and used the other to pull me back down to his large chest.  “C’mon, we don’t have to get up for a little bit,” he cooed.  “Come lay back down with Daddy.”

I yanked my arm out his hold and stared down incredulously.  So much was going on in my frazzled head: Where did he run off to last night? Why did he run off last night? Why was I in his bed? Why was there a tent in the covers near his pelvis?

Paul rolled his eyes and sat up, resting his weight on his elbow.  “I’m assuming you’re wondering what happened last night?” he asked, guessing correctly.

Too confused and frustrated to say anything, I just nodded.

He bit down on his lower lip for a brief second.  “I, uh, sorta had a revelation,” he muttered, his dark eyes running up and down my worried face.

“Wh-what?” I pressed, leaning away from the perverted older man.

“I realized that you didn’t have your backpack with you yesterday,” he rushed, nodding his head towards the bedroom door where my backpack rested.  “So I had to go to your place and pick it up for you.”

Paul was at my house… when I wasn’t there and when Jonathan was.  The best way for me to survive that trauma is to just run far, far away.  Maybe I’ll flee to Canada.  I hear they have great hockey teams there… and that’s about all I know.  “But how did you get it?” I trembled, fearful that Paul had set off the security alarm and alerted Jonathan to his shenanigans.  Or worse, Paul set off the alarm and fled, making Jonathan think that it was me trying to sneak into the house after curfew.  Either way, I was in deep water.

Paul shrugged.  “Jonathan’s old man knew my old man,” he explained.  “And he told me to tell you that the alarm code is _1234_.”

Of course it is…

“Oh, and he also said that he covered for you,” Paul went on, yawning again as he collapsed back down onto his pillow.  “He told Jonathan that you said something about going to a girl’s house after school and must’ve lost track of time.  I’ll ask Ronnie to cover for you.”

Wow, just wow.  That was completely unexpected coming from Paul.  Not only had he helped me out last night, but he also helped cover my tracks at home.  It was weird, almost putting me on edge since I kind of felt like I owed the guy now.  “Um, thank you,” I muttered unsure of what to say or what to do.

“Of course,” Paul grinned, pulling on my arm again, making me topple onto his buff chest.  “Now c’mon, relax with Daddy before you gotta get ready for school.”

I really didn’t want to lie in a bed with Paul, especially after everything that he’d said to me last night with how I was his and how I was supposed to call him “Daddy”.  Yeah, that was a little weird in my book.  “I, um, I should probably just get ready now,” I muttered.  “I like to shower before school.  So I should leave now so I can make it home in time for me to get ready—”

Paul rolled his eyes and placed a large finger over my lips, effectively silencing me.  “Do you  remember what I told you last night?” he asked.

Vividly.  I nodded, gently pushing his hand out of my face.

“Good,” Paul beamed.  “And does my baby remember that I gave him a set of select rules?”

Unfortunately.  Again, I nodded.

Paul’s smile grew even bigger and he snaked his thick arms around my torso, yanking my body down on top of his so that I wasn’t even touching the mattress anymore.  Instead, I was completely on top of him, my hands flat against his chest muscles to prop myself up, feeling him flex with power, trying to show off to me.

“Good,” he purred.  “Well, don’t think that Baby is the only one with rules, because Daddy has rules too.  And one of the most important ones is that Daddy must take care of his baby at all times.”

I stared down at his serious face blankly.  I wasn’t following what he was saying.  “Huh?”

“Get ready here,” he cooed, rubbing my cheek with his giant hand.  “I bought you a toothbrush and I already washed and dried your clothes for you.”

Oh my goodness, this man intended on me moving in with him or something.  We hadn’t even known each other for a full week!  What is going on around here?!

“Why?” I blurted, extremely confused with everything that was going on.  I was seriously starting to get a major headache from my situation.

Paul chuckled, his massive chest rumbling beneath me.  “It’ll make sense tonight after our date night,” he cooed, leaning forward to attempt to press a kiss on me, but I quickly leaned away.

“Can’t you tell me now?” I pressed, getting a little peeved that I was being left in the dark so much here.  Mom, Paul, Ronnie, Howie, Ellie— everyone seemed to be in on something that involved me and Paul.  And the worst part was that they wouldn’t take any time out of their busy schedules to explain it to me.  Instead, they brushed me off and acted as if nothing was happening.  Well I’m getting sick of it.

Paul shook his head.  “That’s against the rules,” he stated.  “I have to do it at night under the full moon, as tradition dictates.”

Is he going to sacrifice me to some moon goddess underneath the light of the full moon? Oh God, I’m in so much trouble and I need help!  I had to get out of this date-thing somehow, that wasn’t an official date, by the way… just sayin’.  But at the same time, I knew that if I backed out, then I’d continue to be living in Crescent City with the knowledge that people were plotting against me somehow, making me feel like I was constantly on edge.  I don’t think I can do that.

“C-can you g-give me a hint?” I stammered, fearful of what I might hear.

Paul opened his mouth, but before he could get a word out, electronic beeping sounded out from his side of the bed— well, both sides were technically his; this wasn’t my bed.  I just slept in it.  Anyways, he reached over to the night table that had his phone on it, silencing the alarm that he had set.

“Damn,” he cursed.  “Time to get up.”  He frowned and tightened his arms around me.  “Maybe my baby would like to play hooky and spend all day with Daddy, huh?” He eagerly smiled at me, nodding so that he could get me to somehow agree to that preposterous idea.

“Um, I already missed a few days already,” I admitted, embarrassed to realize that I’d practically missed two days of school because of my broken arm and my adventure in Crescent City.  Even if Paul wasn’t in the picture, there was no way I’d feel comfortable with missing a third day of school, fearful that my perfect GPA would fall.  And besides that, doesn’t Paul have to go to work?

Paul pursed his lips and huffed.  “Yeah, I can’t have you missing too much school,” he muttered, leaning forward quickly and pressing his stubble-framed lips on my cheek.  “I guess we have to get up.”  He carefully shifted out from under me, which was rather easy since I was frozen in shock at having the older man kiss me again.

I scurried off the bed and followed the boxer-clad man into the living room, watching his broad back sway back and forth as he sauntered with power.  “But, my hint?” I reminded him.

Paul perked up, grabbing a coffee mug from the pantry, his eyes raking over me.  “Oh, okay,” he gave in, nodding to himself.  “Daddy can give you a hint, but just one, ‘kay?”  The way he spoke to me made me feel like a little kid asking for a piece of candy, but I ignored it for the moment.

“Okay,” I agreed, feeling myself getting all excited with the prospect of gaining some insight to the inner workings of the Crescent City Cult.  Finally!  Finally I was going to be able to crack the code and figure out what was going on here!

Paul scooped some instant coffee crystals into his mug and filled the cup up with hot water from the tap, before stirring it all together.  After taking a long sip, he glanced back up at me, his cocky smile forming on his face and some color coming to his cheeks.  “Ready?” he asked, his grin threatening to split his face in two.

I nodded, readying my mind to start piecing the puzzle together.

“Darren, I’m in love with you.”

That sucks…


	11. Nightcall

“Nightcall” - Kavinsky

_There’s something inside you / It’s hard to explain / They’re talking about you boy / But you’re still the same_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

**[Darren, Dinner with the Parents]**   
****

_Jonathan and Mom were focused on their plates in front of them during our usually silent dinner.  Jonathan had made spaghetti and it was actually one of the few things that he made well.  Therefore, I eagerly shoveled the food into my mouth, inwardly struggling to come up with a way to bring up my question that I needed to ask Mom._

_In History class, we were going over genealogy and were supposed to create a family tree to bring into class.  The project was going to take up a large percentage of our grade, and I really wanted to do well.  However, I was faced with the pressing issue that I had no clue who my father was.  In reality, I could just include Jonathan and his family in the tree seeing as how he’s the only father I’ve ever known my entire life.  On the other hand, I realized that this could be an opportunity for me to get some information on my missing parent from my mother.  In the past, whenever I’d brought up the subject to her, she’d either shrug me away or snap at me to be quiet.  But seeing as how it’s for school, there’s no reason she should turn me down, right?_

_Figuring that there was no time like the present, I cleared my throat, gaining attention from both of my parents.  “Um, Mom?” I asked in a quiet voice._

_“Yes?” she answered, taking a sip of her red wine that matched her shirt color._

_Oh man, how do I word this? My fork trembled in my hold under the gaze of my mother.  “Um, for school I have to make a family tree,” I mumbled, “and for it I need—”_

_“You need some pictures?” she interrupted.  “There’s some up in the attic.  The box should be labeled.”_

_“Just make sure to put the ladder away when you’re done,” Jonathan piped in._

_Um, no, that wasn’t what I was looking for.  Well, I did need pictures for the project, so that was useful information in a way.  “Thanks,” I said, staring down at my half-filled plate as I willed myself to ask about my father, “but I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about my father for the project.”  Shoot, the least she could do was give me his name so that I could search him up on Facebook and use his profile picture for the project  (and maybe connect with him)._

_Mom set her fork down loudly on her plate, narrowing her dark eyes at me._

_Jonathan huffed and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder before turning to me.  “Darren, just use my picture,” he spat.  “Now eat your dinner.”_

_“Um, o-okay,” I stammered, not ready to give up completely.  “B-but, it’s just that my grade—”_

_“Darren, shut up!” Mom screamed, lurching out of her chair and slamming her fists down onto the wooden table._

_I flinched and pursed my mouth, looking down at my lap in shame.  I really wanted to argue my case, but my throat dried up and I had trouble forming any words.  Therefore, I shut up and went back to eating my dinner, deciding to just omit the father-section altogether, claiming that I didn’t know my dad— it wasn’t a lie._

_However, as I ate, I couldn’t help but continue to feel the heated glare from across the table.  And whenever I glanced up, Mom’s red face greeted me with a deepening scowl.  It was my fault really: I knew how sore of a subject my father was for her.  And yet, I kept bringing it up over and over.  I guess it’s time to face facts that I’ll never really know him and that I should just accept Jonathan as my dad.  He wasn’t the greatest guy, but at least he was here._

**(｡•́︿•̀｡)**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

Okay, so there had to be a rational explanation behind this.  I mean, middle-aged musclemen don’t just fall in love with frumpy teenage boys.  That just doesn’t happen.  Paul’s playing a prank on me, yeah.  That’s it.  This has to be some sort of hazing ritual here in Crescent City.  I’m the new kid and Paul’s just giving me a hard time, trying to get a rise out of me for some reason.  And yet, as he stood in front of me in his tiny apartment, his face looked incredibly serious and void of any sort of joking.

“Wh-what?” I asked in disbelief, unsure if perhaps I’d just misheard Paul when he’d said that he was in love with me.

“You heard me,” he smirked, turning to shuffle through some of the cupboards in the kitchen.  “Ya might wanna start getting ready so you’re not late.”  Well, I guess he did have a point in me being late for school.  I’d already missed the past two days and I didn’t want to fall too far behind.  But there was no way that I was going to let Paul off the hook so easily.

Scowling to myself, I showered and changed into my cleaned clothes which oddly reeked of the older man as if he’d rolled around on them.  I then scooped up my belongings that Paul had gotten for me last night (Why was he being so nice?), even stuffing the folklore book into my backpack, and sat down on the couch while I waited for Justin and Ronnie to take me to school.  I really hoped that Paul wouldn’t insist on riding with us, just so that I could get a little break from him and his cryptic behavior.  Sure, he claimed to be in love with me, but that was impossible.  More than likely, he was trying to lull me into a false sense of security where I’ll let my guard down.  Then he and his cult friends will strike me down.  Man, I just hope it’s quick and painless at this point.

Unfortunately, my hopes and dreams for an easy car ride to school was crushed when Paul sauntered into the living room, wearing his orange construction worker vest and carrying his white helmet under his arm.  Paul plopped down on the couch right next to me, bending down to lace up his work boots.

“So,” he grinned, glancing up at me with excited eyes, “lookin’ forward to tonight?”

What was tonight? Oh yeah… the double-date thingy which I suppose in hindsight was really meant to be a thinly-veiled triple-date… those shady people.  “I still have to ask my stepdad if I can go,” I admitted, proud that it was both the truth and that Jonathan seemed to be allergic to the thought of me having fun, so he’d most likely refuse.

Paul snickered.  “I already mentioned it to Howie,” he smirked, effectively stomping on my back-up plan.  “He said that it sounds like fun and that he’ll talk to Jonathan.”  He leaned back up and checked his phone.  “Howie’s a nice guy.  I trust him.”

Yeah, well right now I don’t.  Howie was supposed to be on my side.  But instead he was feeding me to the cult, trying to get me killed.  Maybe he wanted to take over my room because he didn’t like living in the small bedroom that was next to the laundry room.  How conniving…

My own phone buzzed in my pocket and I flinched, knowing one-hundred percent who it was.  Ugh.  I could barely contain my sanity while around Paul, who I never got the chance to scold for sneaking me into his bed with him by the way.  So there was no way that I could handle Vincent’s creepy demeanor right now too.  I sighed and tried my best to ignore it, my phone feeling like a molten brick burning against my thigh.

Paul, noticing my discomfort, cocked his eyebrow at me.  “Everything okay, Baby?” he asked.

I nodded.  “Everything’s fine,” I lied.  I mean, Paul was a large and scary-looking man, so if things came to worse and Vincent did manage to find me, then I suppose I could give Paul twenty bucks to scare him away.  However, knowing my incredibly bad luck, the two of them would most likely team up and gang-bang me in an alley behind a Wal-Mart.  That, or Vincent would be inducted into the cult, furthering my chances of dying in Crescent City.  I should just leave.  I was already a junior, so it was time for me to looking at colleges to apply to.  I had excellent grades and Mom had mentioned that she had a substantial savings for my education.  Therefore, it was smarter for me to apply to a place way, way far away, like Sapporo or Cape Town.  Or maybe even study at sea.  Either way, if I could just get away (like really, really, REALLY far away) then perhaps I could actually be myself in a safe environment.  That, or I could start anew in a city of fresh faces who have no idea who I am, or how to get a hold of Vincent or Paul or Jonathan.

My phone buzzed again, making me internally groan at my ex’s persistence.

Paul eyed my pocket.  “Ya gonna answer that?” he asked, sounding a little curious as to what was making me so anxious.  I knew that I usually paled when I was nervous, but it was like the man could practically sniff out my anticipation like one of those bomb-sniffing dogs, but with my emotions instead.

“Um,” I paused, trying to come up with a good lie that wouldn’t out me, “it’s probably just telling me that I need to pay my phone bill, y’know.  Bills.”  I cheekily laughed at the end of my fib, my face burning as hot as coals.

Paul narrowed his eyes at me, scanning my face for any detection of a lie.  “Well,” he mused, “if you need help with paying your phone bill, then just let Daddy add you to his plan.”

No.  “Maybe later,” I muttered, figuring that it’d be best to be as less specific in my answers as possible so as not to leave any room for arguing.

Judging by the way Paul scrunched up his face, it worked.  Before he could say anything, a car honked outside and he huffed, standing up from the couch.  “They’re ready,” he sighed, holding out a hand to help me up.

I gingerly took it, not too surprised (but still appalled) that the man yanked me into his firm embrace once I was on my feet, leading me out the door with one mighty arm secured around my dainty shoulders.  As soon as we were outside, I nervously scanned my surroundings, fearful that someone would see us so close to each other and jump to conclusions.  Luckily, the ocean air kept the area chilly enough that I could use being cold as the perfect excuse.  Paul was rather hot… temperature-wise, I mean.

Paul escorted me to Justin’s car, the man and Ronnie in the front, excitedly talking to one another in hushed tones.  Paul was kind enough to open up the door for me, even going so far as to bend down and fasten my seatbelt for me… okay, why was that necessary? I was more than capable of doing my own seatbelt, but I decided not to say anything.  There was really no point in arguing with the guy, especially in his friends’ car.  Plus, I really needed to focus all of my energy on formulating a plan to get out of the dreaded date night.  Many options raced through my mind, ranging from faking sick to just ghosting everyone.  Unfortunately, in my mind, each plan resulted in a certain older man just using his domineering attitude and forcing me out of my protective shell regardless of what I did.

“So Darren,” Ronnie grinned at me, glancing over her shoulder, “you excited for tonight?” Wow, it hasn’t even been a minute in the car, and already the date night’s been brought up into conversation.  My life sucks.

Paul settled into the seat next to me, our sides touching as he draped his heavy arm over my shoulders once again, making me smell like his deodorant— I swear, it’s like he’s trying to get his scent all over me.  “I know I am,” he interjected, a goofy smirk plastered on his cocky face.  “Been waitin’ for this for years.”  Years?

Shrugging that off, I nodded.  “Yeah,” I mumbled.  “Can’t wait.”

Ronnie bounced in her seat, oblivious to my obvious uncertainty regarding tonight.  “Me too!” she beamed.  “We’re gonna go to this one really nice restaurant.  It’s the best one in town.  And then— and then after that, we’re gonna see that new scary movie over at the nice movie theater— it has an arcade in it!  Like an entire arcade with _Pac-Man_ and _DDR_ and a claw machine.  But I can never win anything at the claw machine, but whatevs.  Oh!  Oh yeah, and get this, Lola and Rhett invited another couple who are interested in the entire Daddy—”

“Ronnie,” Justin grunted, narrowing his eyes at her.

Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red and she glanced apologetically in the rearview mirror at Paul.  “Sorry,” she muttered.

Okay, so from what I gathered, it was supposed to be some kind of dinner and a movie thing: innocent enough.  And apparently, Lola and her, *ahem, Daddy would make an appearance along with Ronnie and Justin, and some other couple.  And for some reason, the third couple would be involved because there was an interest in something that had to do with “Daddies”.  Hmm, the plot thickens.  But what could it mean?

I was lost.

Maybe, just maybe this entire Crescent City Cult was just some infantilism fetish club.  That would explain why the girls seemed so keen on calling their boyfriends “Daddy”.  That or, *gasp, they really were dating their blood-related fathers!  Haha, how weird would that be? Whatever though, that kind of stuff only happens in manga— not in real life.

I was silent in thought the entire short drive to the high school.  Ronnie continued to ramble on and I wondered if she ever got light-headed from talking so much.  Justin would sometimes chime in, but allowed her to have a majority of the spotlight.  Paul, like me, kept to himself, remaining glued to my side.  When we finally pulled up to the school drop-off out in front, I was all too eager to leap out of the vehicle to make a break for my first class.  As soon as I had my hand on the door handle to bolt, Paul put a large hand on my arm, stopping me.

“Have a nice day at school, Baby,” he smiled at me, using a genuine voice that contained zero hints of cockiness… weird.

“Um, thanks?” I wondered, confused as to why he cared how I did at school.  “Have a nice day at work?” What else was I supposed to say?

In the front seat, Justin cooed at Ronnie, telling her to have a nice day as well.  Ronnie giggled and leaned forward, pressing a light kiss on the older man’s cheek, the latter smiling widely at the simple touch.

Paul looked at me expectantly, his eyes darting towards the kissing couple in the front, totally trying to clue me in that he wanted a goodbye kiss from me.

Well, how’s it feel to want? “See you later,” I nervously chuckled, quickly dashing out of the car and up the steps to the school, disappearing inside.

Once I was inside, I felt as if I could finally breathe out a sigh of relief.  I was safe at school: a place that always felt like a sanctuary, whether it be from Jonathan or Paul.  Either way, I was finally in my element where there’d be no way that my mental anguish could be put to the test anymore.  I began to make my way towards my first class when I passed the Attendance Office.  

“Wait!  Darren!” Ellie called as she quickly shuffled out of the office after me.

I stopped and turned to find out what she needed.

Ellie fast-walked up to me, holding onto a piece of paper.  “You were absent two days in a row without a note, so the school requires that you get your guardian to sign this form,” she explained, handing the paper to me.

“Oh, okay,” I said, immediately stuffing the paper into my backpack, having a little difficulty with my bulky cast on my left arm.

Ellie’s eyes widened at the sight of my cast as she brought her hand up to her mouth.  “Oh my goodness, Darren,” she gasped.  “What happened?” I knew that people would ask about my cast, and I’d been dreading being the center of attention, albeit for a few minutes.

“Um, I f-fell off my skateboard,” I lied, my face burning.

Ellie nodded to herself.  “Oh,” she frowned.  “What did Paul say when he found out—”  She flinched and the color drained from her face.

Oh!  I caught you!  “Why would Paul say anything?” I pressed, leaning a little closer to the shocked woman.  She slipped up and she knew it.  Her pale face and wide eyes gave her away.  She knew something and she’s basically confirmed that Paul was involved, just as I’d suspected.  Oh, things were finally coming together!

Ellie nervously ran a hand through her thick hair.  “Oh, um, I meant to ask how did your dad react?” No she didn’t.

“My stepdad took me to the hospital and made sure I was okay,” I said, although part of that wasn’t technically a lie.  I just omitted the fact that the only reason why Jonathan took me to the hospital and made sure I was fine was just to cover his own butt.  “But, how did you know that I knew Paul?” There was definitely something going on around here, and perhaps Paul’s sister could spill the beans to me.

With a wave of her hand, she tried to laugh me off.  “Um, this town’s so small, everyone knows everyone,” she chuckled.  “Now, uh, don’t be late for class!”  She spun around on her heels and high-tailed it back into the Attendance Office.  Okay, that was weird and all it did was strengthen my resolve to find out what was happening.

Ugh, I knew what I had to do, unfortunately.  If I really wanted to find out what was going on with Paul and the Crescent City Cult, I’d have to go out on that date-thingy and get some answers myself.  It’s time for Detective Darren Holmes to break open this case, haha— why am I so funny?

**（´-`）.｡oO（）**

The entire day at school was spent in some sort of worried haze.  I had difficulty concentrating in class as each thought of mine traveled over to a particular thirty-four year-old man who insisted that I call him “Daddy”.  Based on what Ronnie had told me in the car, the date would consist of just dinner and a movie; however, Paul had alluded to something involving running— I have no idea what he means, unless we’re going to movie hop, which I suppose includes running.  If that’s the case, maybe I should stay home since I don’t run fast and I’m terrible under pressure.  And because I had to catch up on two days’ work, I didn’t have any spare time to peek through the folklore book that I’d brought with me.

And during lunch, in order to maintain the smallest shred of my sanity, I hid out in the library in the science section where I knew for a fact no one would come strolling by.  I made sure to turn off my phone so that I wouldn’t get bothered by Paul or Vincent, wanting to collect my thoughts and get a game plan formed for tonight.

Everything in my entire body screamed out that going on this date was going to be the worst idea that I’ve ever come up with (and trust me, I’ve made some poor decisions).  On the other hand, I knew that going would be the only sure-fire way to get some answers to my numerous questions.  Therefore, I’ll go and I’ll make sure to take notes on my surroundings.  And if, God forbid, the cult tries to sacrifice me, then… um, I’m not really sure.  I can’t fight, but maybe I can scream loud enough to attract some help.

Once school let out, I hurried out of the building so that I could rush home to get ready for tonight.  I wasn’t going to get all dressed up like I was taking tonight seriously (because I totally wasn’t), but I didn’t want it obvious that I had no drive to make any precious memories.  Unfortunately, the very moment I stepped foot outside of the high school, Ronnie sprinted over to my side.

“Hey, Darren!” she cheered.  “C’mon, Daddy parked the car over here.”  She interlaced our elbows and tried to guide me over to the parking lot where Justin and Paul sat in a parked car.  Sure enough, as soon as Paul’s eyes landed on my face, a bright smile lit up his dirty face and he seemed to bounce in his seat like a kid on Christmas.

I wanted to argue, but before I could find any words to say, Ronnie already tugged me all the way over to the car.  Paul jumped out of the front passenger seat and sauntered over to the back door to open it for me, his white t-shirt stained with dirt and sweat from his blue-collar job.

“Hey, Baby,” he grinned, leaning forward to wrap me into a stinky hug in front of the entire student body.

I flinched and quickly ducked under his arm, literally tossing myself into the small vehicle and out of sight from everyone else.  “Yeah, hey, Paul,” I called, scooting over to the far end and scampering to put on my seatbelt before he could do it for me.

Paul, Ronnie, and Justin all looked down at me with disappointed looks on their faces, as if I was the one who tried to hug another guy on school grounds.  What is wrong with them?

Paul pursed his lips and shook his head.  “Okay,” he muttered, settling in next to me inside the cramped car.  “That’s fine.  But just know that after tonight, that kinda shit won’t fly with Daddy.”

What do I even say to that? “Uhh,” I mumbled, sinking lower into the seat.  My initial instinct was to give him a hug as some sort of apology, but that would only push forth the notion that Paul could tell me what to do, which I didn’t really agree with.

Justin and Ronnie held each other outside of the car for a brief moment, Ronnie pressing a kiss onto Justin’s cheek.  “Missed you, Daddy,” she cooed in the older man’s ear.

“I missed you so much, Baby,” Justin grinned.  “Did you have a nice day?”

Ronnie nodded, snatching the keys from Justin’s hands.  “Can I drive, Daddy?” she asked, puckering out her lower lip in a childish fashion.  “Pretty please?”

I could visible see Justin’s resolve melting as his shoulders slumped and his smile grew impossibly wider.  “Oh, okay,” he breathed, leaning in again to kiss his girlfriend.

Paul snorted and quickly buckled his seatbelt, looking over at me to double-check that I had mine done.  As soon as Ronnie started up the car, Paul positioned his strong arm over me, like one of those guardrails on a roller coaster.

The moment Ronnie pull out of her parking spot, I was happy that Paul had added the extra security measure.  The girl drove with a lead foot and stomped on the brakes, making the car lurch and zigzag all over the road like we were in an episode of _Spongebob Squarepants_.

“So, Darren, I’ll drop you off at your place first, and then we’ll come pick you up at seven, ‘kay?” Ronnie blabbed, actually turning her head around to look at me instead of using the rearview mirror.

“Baby!” Justin hissed, grabbing a strong hold of the wheel with a frantic hand.  “Eyes front!”

“Oh, sorry,” Ronnie shrugged, turning back around and straightening out the car from veering off into the opposite lane.

“I’ll be ready by seven!” I hurried out, unconsciously scooting closer to Paul in the back of the metal deathtrap.

Paul wrapped his other arm around me, pulling me into his body so much that any closer and I would’ve been sitting on his lap.  Unconsciously, I’d grabbed onto a tight hold of his sweaty t-shirt, holding onto the older man as if he were some sort of security blanket.  And I could’ve sworn that I saw Ronnie smirking in the mirror, but the angry honks of cars swerving out of her way jolted me out from my suspicions.  This car ride had to be a million times more terrifying than the motorcycle ride with Paul.  There was absolutely no way that I’d ever get into a car where Ronnie was the driver ever, ever again!

I closed my eyes and desperately tried to think about anything else except for the erratic swaying of the car or the occasional curb-check whenever we turned.  There was a huge thump that I felt, and I prayed to God that we didn’t just run someone over… I was too scared to look behind us to check.

Paul noticed my nervousness and he patted my head down onto his shoulder, tightening his hold around me, surrounding me with his firewall of musk that was meant to keep me calm in the face of danger… and it kind of did, in an odd way.  I don’t know why, but simply having Paul comfort me in my time of need kind of reminded me a little bit of whenever I was a kid, and I’d rushed into my mom and Jonathan’s room whenever I’d had nightmares to sneak into their bed to feel safe— and I did for a brief second until Jonathan woke up and shouted at me to go back to my own room.  And here I was, secured in Paul’s hold, almost as if I were a child again, reaching out for their daddy whenever they were afraid— and yes, I was aware of the irony considering that Paul wanted me to call him “Daddy”; I was painfully aware.

“It’s okay, Baby,” Paul cooed into my ear, his warm breath wafting over my skin, making it break out with goosebumps, “Daddy’s here.”

That really shouldn’t make me feel any better.  However, I could feel my nerves starting to calm by at least one percent.  My heart slowed down a tiny bit and my forehead wasn’t as drenched with sweat as before.  As wrong as it was, I couldn’t help but find some sort of solace cuddling up to the older man during the crazy car ride.

I was so lost in a trance of combined fear and confusion that it took me a while to notice that Ronnie had pulled up in front of my house… knocking over our trash can.

“Thanks for the ride,” I blurted, frantically pawing for the doorknob to escape this horrifying ride.

Paul, still with his arms around me, leaned forward and pressed his rough lips onto my shocked cheek, making me flinch and fearfully look at the front door of my house, praying that Jonathan hadn’t seen that just happen.  There was no sign of my stepdad, luckily, but I still needed to get out of the car as soon as possible.  And I couldn’t even come up with something to say to Paul in order for him to realize that I was not okay with PDA, especially homosexual PDA in front of the house were Jonathan lurks like a troll.

“I’ll see you at seven, Baby,” Paul grinned.  “Turn your phone on, too, in case I need to get a hold of you.”  He narrowed his eyes at me at the end of his statement, obviously a little piqued that I’d turned it off during my lunch period in order to avoid him… oops.

“O-okay,” I stammered, crawling out of the car and scampering up to the front door.  As I entered the house, I swear that I heard Paul thank Ronnie for something, but maybe I was hearing things and going crazy.  My brain was most likely scrambled from being jerked around so much in the car.

As soon as I entered the house, I wasn’t surprised to see Jonathan sitting in the living room, watching the news on the TV.  “You got home quickly,” he mused, not taking his eyes off the screen.

“I got a ride from a friend,” I muttered in a low voice, making sure to formulate my answer in my head before I blurted it out— a tactic that was useful when dealing with Jonathan.

“Oh, you made a friend,” Jonathan huffed, sounding as if he didn’t quite believe that I was reaching out to others… which I kind of wasn’t.  Being an introvert, most of the friends/acquaintances that I’ve had were because the other person just walked up and started talking to me.

I nodded and unzipped my backpack, pulling out the form that Ellie had given me due to my absences.  “The school gave me this for you to sign because of the day I missed,” I said, handing the paper to Jonathan.  I made sure to say that it was only a day so that he wouldn’t grill me on why I’d fled to Port Steele yesterday.

“You gotta pen?” my stepdad grunted, snatching the paper from me, totally crumpling it as he did so.

“Yes, Sir,” I answered, unzipping the smaller front compartment of my backpack where I kept my pens and pencils.  I pulled one out and handed it to the impatient man.

Jonathan scribbled his signature onto the paper and shoved it back at me, returning what little attention he gave me back to the newscast.  “Oh, and Darren?” he questioned, eying me from his peripheral.

“Yes, Sir?” I asked, already trembling in my spot at the numerous things that I could’ve done to upset him.

“My dad told me that you have plans to go out tonight, am I correct?” he grilled, actually turning his head away from the glowing screen to stare me down.

“Only if that’s alright with you, Sir,” I muttered, nervously twirling my fingers in front of my torso.  I even stupidly thought that if Paul were here, then I’d probably grab onto him for security like I’d done in the scary car.  Yeah, there’s no way that would fly inside my house.

Jonathan clicked his tongue, eying me up and down before smirking to himself.  “Sure, have fun,” he grinned, sending shivers down my spine.

Wow, I wasn’t expecting him to be on board with me going out and having a life.  However, he had no clue that I’d be with Paul… well, not _with_ Paul, he’d just be there as well.  “Oh, o-okay,” I nodded.  “Thank you.”  I quickly spun around and bolted up the stairs so that I could get ready for my investigation tonight.

As soon as I barged into my bedroom, I locked the door behind me and turned on my phone in case Paul wanted to contact me (and hopefully cancel tonight’s plans).  I set my phone down on my mattress and began to shuffle through my clothes that were still in cardboard boxes, having no clue what to wear.  I’ve never considered myself sexy, so there was no way that I’d wear some v-neck or button-down shirt that was meant to accentuate my figure.  Honestly, if I could, I’d just walk out of the house wrapped up in a garbage bag.  Although, in order to keep up appearances with the Crescent City Cult, I at least needed to look like I was trying.

As I began to contemplate wearing a nice sweater over a button-down like a cute-ish nerd, my phone began to buzz like crazy on my bed, signifying that I had an incoming call.

It was most likely Paul, checking up to make sure that I hadn’t tried fleeing Crescent City again.  Trying to decide between dark blue jeans or black slacks, I reached behind me and brought the phone up to my ear.

“Hello?” I answered, already rolling my eyes at the prospect of Paul referring to me as “Baby”.

“ _Well, well.  It’s about damn time you answer my calls_ ,” Vincent growled into the receiver, sounding incredibly pissed judging by the shakiness detectable in his voice.  “ _What kept you so busy?_ ”

Oh no…  I nearly dropped the phone in shock and my heart fell all the way to the floor.  Thank God I was already sitting crisscrossed on the ground, otherwise I probably would’ve collapsed out of fear.  I tried to answer, but my mouth immediately went dry and my throat seemed to close shut.  “Uh…” I croaked, unsure of what to do or say, feeling incredibly useless over the fact that despite there being hundreds of miles in-between us, I was still afraid of making Vincent mad.

“ _Darren, you better answer me_ ,” he sneered.  “ _I’m growing very impatient._ ”

Oh man, I’m in deep trouble.  Whenever Vincent grew impatient or angry, things got very ugly very quickly, and they were usually directed at me.  I really needed to defuse the situation.

My hands shaking so hard that I had trouble keeping the phone to my ear, I stammered, “W-well, I’ve been b-busy with school, y’know—”

“ _Hey!_ ” Vincent barked, shutting me up.  “ _We’ve been over this several times, haven’t we? What’s the most important things to you, tell me.  Now!_ ”

At the sound of his domineering and cold voice, I idiotically found myself wishing that Paul was here— but what could he do? “It’s you, our relationship, school, and work.  In that order,” I squeaked in a small voice.

“ _Then you better start acting like it and start answering me when I call and text_ ,” he ordered.  “ _Don’t think I haven’t forgiven you for up and ditching me too.  Do you have any idea how fuckin’ embarrassing that was? I drive all the way to my boyfriend’s house only to find it completely empty!  Who does that to the one they love, huh?_ ”

Yeah, it was kind of low of me to just ghost Vincent, a guy who claimed to love me.  Wow, I really need to work on myself.

“I’m sorry,” I almost-whispered.

Vincent irritatedly huffed into the phone.  “ _It’s fine, Babe_ ,” he muttered despite the malice marinating his words.  “ _Now, just tell me where you are so I can come get you._ ”

…I couldn’t do it.  No matter how much I’d wronged my ex-boyfriend, I didn’t want to go back to him at all.  And some annoying voice in the back of my skull shrieked at me to go to Paul because he would keep me safe— yeah right!

“Vincent,” I murmured, “I-I can’t—”

“ _That was a test_ ,” Vincent snarled, his rage making me cringe and almost break down apologizing, “ _and you failed.  Your stepdad updated his Facebook, and you’re in Crescent City, California.”_

“N-no, I’m not—”

“ _And I’m coming to get you, so you better be ready by the time I arrive.  Love ya, Babe._ ”  Then he hung up.

Oh man, I’m in deep trouble.  Shoot, maybe I should just join the Crescent City Cult so that I could have some sort of crazy protection.  That, or I’m sure dying at their hands will be a lot less painful than Vincent’s.  And probably the thing that bothered me the most was that no matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise, I felt deep down in gut that the right thing to do would be to call up Paul and ask for his help.

But there was no way that I’d do it.  It’d take days for Vincent to drive all the way to Northern California, so that meant that I had some time to hide out.  That solves it: I’ll still uncover the mysteries of Crescent City tonight.  However, starting tomorrow, I seriously needed to consider going into some sort of protection agency where I’ll be hidden from the world, and most importantly, away from Vincent and Paul.

But for now, no more hiding.  I needed to stay focused and face the Crescent City Cult head on.


	12. No Exit, Part 1

“No Exit” - Tennis

_Apocalyptic / My own mistake / I’m moving right into the end / Into his shadow / Wherever we go / Our futures again and again_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Darren, The Phone]**   
****

_“Oh no,” I muttered to myself, shuffling through the multiple binders and textbooks that were crammed into my backpack.  All day I’d been looking for my cell phone— the brand new one that Jonathan had made me promise to take good care of.  I’d only had it for three days and I already lost it? That wasn’t like me._

_“What’s up, Babe?” Vincent asked me, lounging out on the futon that was in his bedroom.  I’d told Mom that I’d been tutoring him in English, so I was going over to his house everyday after school.  Little did she know that in reality, I’d been spending hours after school with my new boyfriend, basking in the glowing light that finally being in a couple gave me._

_After years of being trapped in the lonely closet, I was finally in a real relationship with another guy.  And it was like Heaven!  Vincent was such a nice guy.  He always asked me about my day.  He knew that I wasn’t out and he made sure to keep our status on the down low, resulting in just looking like we were really close friends at school.  And he even liked to make life easier for me, going so far as to read all my texts and screen my calls for me._

_Unfortunately, if I couldn’t find my phone, then we wouldn’t be able to play that cute little game of Secretary anymore.  That, and I’d get my butt handed to me by my stepdad.  Plus, being in the Journalism Club at school, I needed to stay in touch with other members of the club in order to make sure that I had my articles turned in by the correct deadline.  So without my phone, I was in deep trouble._

_“I can’t find my phone anywhere,” I whined, resulting in me turning my backpack upside-down, shaking all of the contents out onto the floor._

_“Who cares?” Vincent shrugged, turning on his TV and flipping through the channels.  “Besides, I’m right here.  Who else do you need to talk to?”_

_Well he was kind of right.  I only had a few contacts in my phone, those being Mom, Jonathan, Vincent, and a couple of classmates from the Journalism Club.  But still, I really liked my new phone… and it gave me something to look at while I went to the bathroom._

_“No one,” I admitted, still frantically searching for the small piece of technology.  “But still, I need to find it before I go home.”_

_“Just forget about it,” Vincent pressed, narrowing his eyes at me.  “Like I said: ‘I’m right here.’  You can just use my phone if you need to talk to anyone else.”_

_Vincent’s phone was on his desk, eye-level with me.  Growing impatient, I grabbed it and entered the passcode: my birthday (How cute was that?).  I pressed_ Call _on my icon, straining my ears for the sound of my electronic ringtone._

_“What are you doing?” Vincent asked as soon as he saw his phone in my hand.  “Give that to me!”  He lurched forward, snatching his phone out of my grasp.  However as soon as he had his phone in his hand, I heard the chiming that I recognized as my own phone echoing out from somewhere in the bedroom._

_Vincent turned bright red and I realized that the sounds were ringing out from him… from his pocket._

_“D-do you have my phone?” I asked incredulously.  He’d seen me freaking out over losing it.  So if he had it, why lie to me and play dumb?_

_My boyfriend scoffed and pulled my phone out from his back pocket, tossing it onto the carpet where I was crouched._

_“Here,” he scoffed.  “I just wanted to make some surprise tweaks for you.  You’re welcome.”  He sneered in my direction, turning up the volume on the TV to an obscene decibel._

_What kind of tweaks? I looked through my phone, finding that mostly everything looked the same… except for the fact that every male classmate’s number that I’d had logged in was now deleted._

_Weird._

**?(ﾉ)・´ω・(ヾ)**

**[Darren, Present Day]**   
****

Okay, so let’s think everything over: I was supposed to go on some obscure date-esque thing with Paul and his cronies tonight.  Plus, I was in deep water with Jonathan (but that wasn’t anything new).  To make maters worse and to add an obscene amount of drama to my pathetic life, my ex-boyfriend Vincent had called and said that he was coming all the way to Crescent City to get me.

Now Vincent was already eighteen, so he could technically leave school and drive halfway across the country for me (which I honestly felt would be a complete waste of gasoline).  And he’s been proven to actually come through on a couple of his threats in the past, unfortunately.  Therefore, I’ve learned to see whatever he says as the absolute truth.  So if Vincent claims he’s going to drive all the way to Crescent City to get me, then I totally wasn’t overreacting by hiding underneath my blanket for a few minutes while I attempted to compose myself.

I knew deep down that the smartest thing in the world would be to refuse to go out tonight and just hide out in my house, making sure that the security system was armed.  However, I was painfully aware of the fact that if I didn’t go out with the Crescent City Cult then I’d forever be living in town fearing the unknown.  And sometimes not knowing is the worst thing, right?

So with everything going on, I knew that I had to go out on the date-thing tonight.  I had to find out what was going on behind the scenes in this small town that seemed to behave as if there was some kind of mystic connection between me and the migraine-inducing older man.  Ronnie, Lola, Ellie, and even Howie alluded to it.  I had to find out what it was before I died of anticipation.

Sighing, I slid out from the safety of the piece of fabric on my bed and slumped into the bathroom to get ready for tonight.  After showering and shaving, I finally decided to get dressed in some dark jeans with a charcoal sweater over a white button-up, looking like a totally innocent nerd.  I figured that if I dressed completely unappealing, then maybe Paul would lose interest, right? It made sense in my head.  Regardless, I was finally all ready, even making sure to download a Notepad app onto my phone so that I could take scrupulous notes on tonight’s cultish activities— I’m determined to finally figure out what’s going on around here.

Sure enough, at seven o’clock on the dot, the doorbell rang.

I sprinted out of my room and sped down the stairs, desperate to get to the door before Jonathan could in case Paul was stupid enough to come up to my front door himself.  I took the stairs two at a time, slamming myself into the door, throwing it open, relieved to see Ronnie standing there dressed up like she was going to Homecoming.

“Hey Darren!” she beamed, looking me over.  “Ooh, you look so cute!”

No I don’t.  “Th-thank you,” I said, blushing at the compliment thanks to my over-exaggerated timidness.

“Aww, you kids have fun tonight,” I heard Howie gush from behind me.

Too embarrassed to turn around, I just waved at him from over my shoulder, quickly leaping out of the house and slamming the door shut behind me.

“C’mon!” Ronnie cheered.  “Daddy parked around the block so that your stepdad wouldn’t see Paul.”  She started to run off down the street, maneuvering rather fast in her high heels.  Shoot, even with her wardrobe disadvantage, she beat me easily, leaving me panting and gasping for oxygen by the time we reached the car that was parked under a streetlamp the next block over.

Hands on my knees, I barely noticed when Paul exited the vehicle, walking over to place a warm hand on my back.  “You okay, Baby?” I heard him chuckle.

I managed to cough a pathetic, “Y-yeah.”  Wow, I am out of shape.

I swear I heard Justin mutter something that sounded like “…easy to catch…” but I tuned that out.  That was probably a figment of my overactive imagination fueled by my adrenaline from my talk with Vincent earlier.  I straightened back up after taking several deep gasps of air, trying to quench my burning lungs.

Dang!

Paul was seriously dressed up for tonight.  Because I was hunched over, the first thing that I noticed were his dark blue jeans that seemed plastered onto his strong legs, contouring to every curve and muscle.  And most noticeably, his bulge was very prominent, looking as if he’d stuffed a python into his pants before leaving his apartment.  On his chiseled torso, the buff man wore a black button-down shirt that seemed to be painted onto his skin.  He left the top three buttons undone, displaying a large swath of his sculpted pecs underneath a dusting of chest hair.  His jet black hair was gelled up, looking like a mixture between fauxhawk and spikey; and he trimmed his stubble down into a pencil-thin beard.  He oozed masculinity.

Whoa, not even Vincent would get this dressed up for any of our dates… not that this is a date.  No, this is just me doing some research.

“Like what’cha see?” Paul smirked, totally calling me out on my staring in front of everyone, making me cringe and burn hot as flames.

“You l-look nice,” I stammered, averting my gaze and wishing that I could just spontaneously combust or get hit by a comet.

“So do you, Baby,” he smirked, licking his lips as he ran his eyes up and down me.

“Oh, um, thanks,” I whispered, making a move to get into the car (after double-checking to see that Justin was driving this time).  As soon as my fingers grazed the cool metal door handle, Paul put his massive hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

“Let Daddy get that,” he cooed, gently brushing me to the side so that he could open the door for me.

I could’ve done it myself.  “Thanks,” I repeated, not wanting to sound rude.  I slid into the car, doing my seatbelt myself, noting Paul’s eyes rolling as I did so.  Okay, so apparently he was trying to take this whole Daddy-thing a little too seriously, acting as if I were an underage child who needed constant care.  I’m a full-grown man (almost)!

Paul took his usual spot next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, allowing me to inhale his cologne that was actually rather nice.  It wasn’t too musky or alcohol-influenced, which was kind of rare in men’s fragrances.  And as soon as his smell hit my senses, that annoying voice in the back of my head prompted me to tell Paul all about how Vincent was threatening to come to Crescent City to get me.  Weird… Paul was the leader of a cult; there was no way he’d waste his time on a nerdy high schooler like me.  And I can worry about Vincent later because right now, I really need to focus on the crazy guy sitting beside me.

Ronnie was talking away, going on and on about something or other.  I really wasn’t listening, but every now and then I’d nod whenever she glanced in the backseat, trying to look like she held my full and undivided attention.

Paul noticed though, and he leaned down closer to my ear, whispering in a deep voice, “I meant it, Darren.  You look really, really nice tonight.”

A tremor traveled down my spine and I slowly glanced over at him incredulously, not too shocked to find that he was staring at me with wide, admiring eyes.  This has to be some sort of ploy in order to get me to let my guard down.  I knew that I wasn’t attractive, so to have a very Adonis-like man telling me that I was made me feel as if it were too good to be true.

“Thanks,” I muttered again, despite my initial feelings regarding his statement.  Paul may be trying to lure me into the cult with his good looks and his sweet-sounding compliments, but there was no way that I’d fall for any of it.  No way!

Because Crescent City was super tiny, it didn’t longer than fifteen minutes to reach the restaurant.  Justin pulled into a parking spot near the back, rushing out and sprinting around the vehicle to open up Ronnie’s door for her.

“Thank you, Daddy,” she cooed as he helped her to her feet.

“Of course, Baby,” Justin breathed, looking down at the smaller girl as if she were water and he was dying of thirst.

Paul tried to do the same thing for me, but before he could reach my side of the car, I’d already opened the door and had one foot on the pavement.  He scowled for a brief moment, but shook it off and snatched my hand in his, interlocking our fingers.  Based on our grocery store excursion, it was smarter to just go with the flow and allow Paul to hold my hand all he wanted.  However, because this wasn’t the grocery store and the parking lot to the restaurant looked rather packed, I tried to yank my hand out of the man’s stronger grasp.

Paul rolled his eyes and began to lead me up to the entrance of the restaurant.  “Baby,” he snickered, “you seriously don’t think that I’m not gonna make it known to every other guy in there that you’re mine? Especially when you’re dressed like that?”  I should’ve worn the garbage bag…

The restaurant looked upscale, not too pricey, but definitely not a place that would sell a cheeseburger.  There were potted plants outside and decorative lights lined the awning around the building.  There was even a man standing outside to open up the door for guests.  That being said, Jonathan may have cash, but he’s very thrifty.  Therefore, it’s safe to assume that I’d be free of his judgmental glare inside the restaurant.  Hence, I just gave up and allowed Paul to hold my hand, making it look like we were some kind of happy couple.  Well, compared to the way Justin and Ronnie were swinging their arms and walking in-step with one another, it looked more like Paul and I were on our way to a funeral (for my sanity).  My face only burned brighter the closer we got to the doors.  And when the man standing out front opened the door for us and eyed me and Paul, I nearly passed out from embarrassment.  Luckily, the guy didn’t say anything, and the four of us walked up to the podium where the maître d’ stood, looking over a tablet that was in front of her.

“Hello and welcome!” she smiled warmly at us as soon as she looked up.  “Do you have a reservation?”

A reservation? I’ve never been to a place where one required a reservation.  Judging by how Paul’s apartment looks, I’d say that he doesn’t have a lot of money lying around.  He must really be blowing through his savings trying to get me to convert to his cult.

Paul stepped forward, still clasping onto my hand.  “Yes,” he said in an authoritative voice, puffing out his chest with pride, “party for Martinez.”

The woman scanned her tablet.  “Ahh yes, Martinez, party of eight,” she nodded.  “You booked the private room, and it looks like the other half of your party is already here.”  She stepped away from the podium.  “Please follow me to your table.”

As we followed the maître d’ through the nice restaurant, I began to frantically think about what was happening.  I was going to be courted by the Crescent City Cult in a private room where it’d be seven against one if things went south.  I may not know karate or any other form of martial arts in order to protect myself, but I’ve been told that I’m a very loud crier which makes people extremely uncomfortable.  So worst case scenario, I could just break down and have everyone ditch me out of pity— that could work.

“I know that you can be a little shy, Baby,” Paul whispered to me as we maneuvered through the other tables.  “So I thought a private room would make you feel more at ease.”

Dang, he had be pegged to a T.  I was hyperbolically shy, which really sucked.  However, the thought of being in a sequestered room away from the rest of the patrons made me feel a little nervous; what would happen if I needed some help getting away? Regardless, I nodded, following behind Paul as he guided me behind the maître d’ over to an ornate wooden door near the back of the fancy restaurant.

The maître d’ opened the door and stood to the side so that our party could enter, closing it shut behind us.  The private room was a small one that had a long, family-sized table that was covered with a bright white cloth centered directly in the middle.  The table had all the fancy fixings: multiple forks and spoons for several-course meals, two glasses (one for water and the other for wine, I suppose), and even cloth napkins.  Wow!  Call me uncultured, but I’ve never used a cloth napkin in my life!

I noticed Lola in the room, really close to an older-looking man who had both of his thick arms wrapped around her.  Across the table sat an unknown couple comprised of a boy around my age and a man who had lots of dark stubble; and like Lola and her guy, the older man had his arms secured around the smaller boy.  And after blinking a couple of times and adjusting my eyes to the dim light of the room, I became horrifyingly aware that the couples weren’t sitting next to each other like normal people would, no.  Instead, Lola was seated on her boyfriend’s lap, just as was the boy and the man he was with.

What the—?

“Hey, Darren!” Lola smiled from her seat… on some dude’s lap.  What is going on around here?

I’m pretty sure that if I’d tried to speak, it would’ve came out sounding like an uncomfortable squawk, so I just waved.

Both of the men whispered something into their younger partners’ ear, the latter hopping off their laps.  The larger guys stood up and walked over to where Paul and I stood, me taking an uncertain step behind Paul who was easily both the tallest and bulkiest man in the room (meanwhile, I think I was shortest).

“Good evening, Alpha,” the guy who’d been with Lola said in a deep voice before turning to me.  “It’s nice to meet you, Darren.  I’m Rhett.”  He held out a large hand for me to shake.

Darn my shyness!  Already, I could feel my ears on fire and I took another unconscious step behind the wall of muscle that was Paul.  Still, not wanting to be rude, I unlatched my hand from Paul’s and shook Rhett’s.  “H-hello,” I stuttered.

Paul, noticing my discomfort, placed a large hand on the small of my back, rubbing small soothing circles.

The other guy stepped forward, nodding towards Paul.  “Thank you for allowing us to be here, Alpha,” he greeted.  What was with this nickname, “Alpha”? Perhaps Paul really was the leader of this cult.

Paul, puffing out his chest with power, nodded back at him.  “Of course, Patrick,” he said in a deep, masculine voice that reeked of authority.  “And how is Nicky?” He waved over at the small boy who was now standing by the vacant chair.  The kid looked really pale and he seemed almost as shy as I was, seeing as how he kept his eyes to the ground.

The other guy, Patrick I guess, had a small smile form on his older face at the mentioning of Nicky.  “He’s doing great,” he grinned.  “We’re still working on getting everything back, but he’s starting to remember how to drive.”  Eh? Then he turned to me (not presenting his eyes).  “And you’re the famous Darren that Alpha won’t stop gushing about.  I’m Patrick, it’s nice to finally get to meet you.”

I felt so confused, honestly.  Everyone here seemed to speak to Paul with such high regard and respect, and I’d noticed that a little bit of that even transferred over to me.  I wasn’t blind to the fact that whenever one of the men spoke to Paul, they sort of bowed their heads in some submissive manner, all the while keeping their focus on Paul as if they weren’t allowed to look me in the eye either.

“Th-thanks,” I murmured, eager to get these introductions done and over with.  I wasn’t too well with recalling faces and names, so I had to keep making notes in my head: Ronnie + Justin, Lola + Rhett, and Patrick + Nicky… which I suppose meant that lastly is Paul + Me.  But nope, that isn’t going to happen because I’m just here to observe, not to partake in this out-of-the-box festivities (and maybe I’m here for a free meal).

Rhett and Patrick returned to their chairs, pulling their younger companions back onto their laps.  Justin even took a seat at the far end of the table, Ronnie plopping down on him.  That left one last chair in the room at the head of the table.  And there was still Paul and me who needed to be seated… oh no.  There was no way that I was about to sit on that thirty-four year-old’s lap in a room filled with people who I go to school with.  My social life (what little bit that I had) would be over and there’d be no way that I could convince anyone that I was straight after that.

Paul took a seat in the wooden chair, scooting back far enough so that there’d be room for me on his expansive lap, looking over me expectantly.  Of course I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t the least bit intrigued.  Paul’s chest proved to be the world’s most comfortable pillow— logic only dictated that his lap would be a comfy chair… or a pokey one.

“You comin’, Baby?” Paul asked, his eyes darting between me and his lap.

“Um,” I groaned, weirded out that I actually had to explain to a full-grown adult that I didn’t want to sit in his lap, “I don’t see a free chair.”

Ronnie snickered while Justin disapprovingly shook his head.

Paul pursed his lips in thought for a brief second before slowly nodding to himself.  “No, it’s okay,” he muttered so quietly that I had difficulty hearing him, “I haven’t claimed you yet, so there’s no reason for you to listen to Daddy yet.”

Claimed me?!

Paul rose from his seat and engulfed my small shoulder with his warm hand.  “I’ll be right back with another chair,” he explained in a calm voice, guiding me towards the one at the head of the table.  “Here, Baby.”  Gently, he sat me down in the large chair before planting his lips onto the top of my head, making my face grow bright red with humiliation.  Then he exited the private room, leaving me alone with seven pairs of eyes that all witnessed Paul kissing me.

I had to do some damage control.

After clearing my throat, trying to make sure that my voice wouldn’t be some pathetic squeak, I nervously chuckled, “Paul sure is a good friend, huh?”

“Dude, no,” Ronnie giggled, covering up her face to try to contain her hysterics.

Justin nudged her, giving her a parental look that said to cut it out, but she had trouble stopping.  Instead, she just attempted to purse her lips, her face red from wanting to laugh so badly.

I felt so extremely awkward in the room filled with strangers.  Well, I knew Ronnie and Lola, and I was sort of acquainted with Justin.  However, unfortunately, Paul was the one I knew best out of everyone, so thanks to my shyness, he was the one whom I was most comfortable with within the cult.  Darn it.

“So,” I murmured, desperate to clear the obvious tension in the room, “how is everyone doing tonight?”  I took a shaky sip of water from the crystalline glass that looked so ornately fashioned that it belonged nowhere near my simple lips.

“We’re doing well, Alpha Mate, thank you,” Patrick nodded, still not making eye contact with me.

“‘Alpha Mate’?” I questioned, confused as to why he called me that.  What did that even mean?

Patrick jerked back, his face burning a deep crimson, nervously glancing over at the other men in the room.

“Don’t worry about that, Darren,” Ronnie interjected, waving her hand dismissively.  “So tell me, how’re you liking Crescent City so far? And, and are you planning on going to the upcoming school dance? And if so, who are you gonna go with? Oh!  What color shirt are you gonna wear? I already found the cutest dress.  It’s peach-colored and has some ruffles at the bottom— ya know what? I think I have a picture on my phone…”  She droned on and on, refusing to even take a breath so that I could get a word in edgewise.

I was beginning to get a little anxious that she’d pass out from a lack of oxygen before Paul returned with a waiter in tow who carried an extra chair.

“Oh, thank Jesus,” Ronnie gasped, panting wildly as she struggled to regain her breath.  Was she creating a diversion?

Paul cocked his eyebrow as soon as the waiter set the chair down beside mine and left.  Paul took the seat, scooting a little closer to me, looking around the room quizzically.  “What’s up?” he asked, instantly picking up on the tense atmosphere.

Finally, I could start to get to the bottom of things.

“What’s ‘Alpha—‘”

“So Alpha,” Lola interrupted me, “next week, me, Ronnie, and Nicky want to go to the mall for a mates’ day kinda thing.  Can Darren come with us?”

Okay, so 1). What is a “Mate”?, and 2). Why was she asking Paul for permission if I could go out? Why not just ask me; I’m right here!  And 3). It’s “ _May_ he come”!

Paul nodded.  “That sounds like it could be fun,” he said, still using a kind of deep voice that reminded me of a police officer whenever they pull you over: rough and full of power.  “Yes, he can go.”

Okay…? So apparently, so far all the information that I had was that there were numerous people involved in this awkward Daddy-Baby dynamic, and that Paul was their “Alpha” a.k.a. leader.  To add onto that, I was somehow referred to as an “Alpha Mate” and that oddly incorporated having people ask Paul to make my own decisions for me.  Honestly, I’ve never come into contact with a cult before, so I wasn’t one-hundred percent certain how they operated.  Paul did seem to have everyone in check and he used his deep voice to convey a sense of power— he even seated himself at the head of the table like the CEO does in a company meeting.  That meant that so far, all that I had confirmed was that Paul was the leader of the Crescent City Cult… and that the members were some fetishists.  Other than that, I was still pretty much in the dark.

After some more awkward and uncomfortable talking, the waiter came and took our food and drink orders.  Paul had whispered to me to order whatever I wanted because he’d been saving up for a long time for this occasion (these cults really go all out for their initiation tactics).  Still, because I didn’t want to appear like I was high-maintenance, I ordered the cod with steamed broccoli.  Paul ordered a really large steak, rare.  And whenever he stabbed into the piece of meat with his fork, red juices squirted out and he’d gnaw at it with his large canine-like teeth, looking like a wild animal devouring its kill.  Other than that, even I had to admit that the food was really delicious.  I wasn’t a picky eater to begin with, but had I been, I’d still leave satisfied.  The fish was cooked to perfection and the soda was nowhere near being flat.

And of course, there was no way that I wasn’t ignorant to the fact that frickin’ Ronnie had Justin cut up her chicken into tiny bite-sized pieces for her, behaving as if the knife was too dangerous for her to wield on her own.  What the—?

“Make sure you eat all your vegetables, or else no ICEE for you at the movies,” Rhett cooed to Lola, who eagerly finished up the greens on her plate.  ICEEs are pretty bomb, so I kind of understand wanting to earn one… but who was Rhett to dictate whether or not his girlfriend could purchase one? Whatever the reason, one thing’s for sure: I’m buying a cherry ICEE when we get to the theater, with or without Paul’s say so… not that I was going to ask him in the first place.

As we ate, Paul kept his arm on the back of my chair— not exactly around my shoulders, but the gesture was very clear.  And when the waiter came to refill my drink for me, I could’ve sworn (and I could be wrong since my hearing’s not excellent) that Paul made some kind of throaty growling sound when the worker spoke directly to me.  But maybe I’m just imagining things.

Regardless of the creepy and cringe-inducing behaviors of the party I was with, I’d rate the dinner an 8.7 out of 10 overall.  The food and the atmosphere were very extravagant.  The weird “Daddy” stuff brought it down from a perfect score.

Eventually the waiter returned with the check, handing Paul the black booklet so that he could pay.  As soon as Paul opened it up, I saw his dark eyes twitch for a moment, and for a brief millisecond, I’d thought that we’d dine-n-dash.  However, before I could begin to think up a plan on how to quickly dart through tables and patrons, Paul pulled out his wallet, taking out his debit card to hand to the waiter.

“Thank you for dinner, Paul,” I said, genuinely grateful that the man had purchased me a delicious meal.  Sure it may have been a ploy to get me to join his cult, but the food was so tasty.  Plus, my mother instilled in me manners that demanded that I properly thank someone for doing something nice for me, cult leader or otherwise.

The corners of Paul’s mouth twitched upwards and a pink hue appeared on his cheeks.  “Anytime, Baby,” he smiled down at me, moving his hand lower to gently squeeze my shoulder.  “Ya know, I’ve been holding onto that money for years for this very occasion.”

How? Paul just met me earlier this week, so it was impossible for him to start a savings account years ago for the sole purpose of taking me out on a date— not that this was a date!  What I meant to say was: paying for a group dinner excursion, in which I was a member of.

Ronnie and Lola looked at each other as if they were gushing at some kind of cute scene.  Even Nicky, who had been rather silent throughout the entire dinner, cracked the tiniest smile at Paul’s words.

“Oh, um, okay,” I muttered, unsure how to respond to that.  It was a sweet notion, but one that I didn’t really want to be a part of.  

As our party exited the restaurant to head to the movie theaters, Paul’s hand engulfed mine once again, and he added a lazy swinging motion to it in order to make us look like some kind of adoring couple.  I, having the common sense to not be seen swinging arms with a grown man in public, attempted to keep my hand still.  Unfortunately, Paul was infinitely stronger than me, and he smirked as he broke through each one of my defenses, keeping our arms waving like a neon sign that shouted: “HEY LOOKS AT THESE TWO GUYS HOLDING HANDS!”

My face was practically ready to peel off my head, I was blushing so hard by the time we finally reached Justin’s car.  Like before, Paul opened my door for me, and sat in quickly enough to buckle my seatbelt for me, his arm resuming its previous position around my shoulders.  My brain seemed to be a foggy state, trying to piece together all the hints and clues that were passed my way while attempting not to get an aneurism from all of Paul’s inappropriate comments/advances.  And I still haven’t uncovered a single secret…

 


	13. No Exit, Part 2

“No Exit” - Tennis

_I make a mistake / They all missed it / He’s prowling around in the night / Into his shadow wherever we go / Whatever I need to survive_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Darren, What Couples Do]**

_“Please?” Vincent asked for the millionth time, running his warm hand up my arm, making my skin break out with goosebumps.  We’d just returned to his house after one of our dates.  Originally, we were supposed to have done dinner and a movie.  But Vincent got us kicked out of Red Lobster for calling our waitress a “Bitch” when she forgot to give us the cheddar biscuits.  So instead he took me to McDonald’s where his cousin worked and the two of them got caught up talking about all the shenanigans of their youth so much that we missed the movie.  But at least I got a McFlurry._

_I squirmed on the futon, feeling all of the steel bars of the bed frame beneath the thin mattress.  “I-I don’t know, Vince,” I admitted, nervously twisting my fingers in front of me._

_“And why not?” my boyfriend challenged.  “Seriously, this is something all couples do.  So if we don’t, then I suppose we aren’t a real couple.”  His face was stone serious, his lightly colored eyes boring into my frozen face, deflecting every argument that I had._

_I knew that I loved Vincent very much.  We’d been going out for a couple months by now and I felt as if he’d quickly become the closest friend that I’ve ever had.  We told each other everything; he knew all about my shaky relationship with Jonathan, knew about my resentments at not knowing my real father, and knew that it was of the upmost importance that my homosexuality be shrouded in darkness._

_But at the end of the day, I was still a virgin and I knew that Vincent saw it as his life’s mission to rectify that problem._

_“I mean, c’mon, Baby,” Vincent cooed, trying to pout out his lip to look all cutesy, “I’ve been very patient, ya know?”_

_Well, considering that in the movies and TV shows, the characters all did the deed rather quickly upon meeting, yes.  Vincent had the patience of a saint.  However, I don’t know… I couldn’t explain it.  I just— I just wasn’t really open to experiencing that level of vulnerability.  But at the same time, if I were to be exposed emotionally/physically to another human being on such an intimate plane, then I suppose that I would want that person to be someone who loved me unconditionally, like Vincent._

_Although, I’d heard that having a man’s penis up one’s bottom really hurt.  I wasn’t too into pain.  “M-maybe later?” I offered, wanting some time to at least consider losing my virginity before just diving into it.  Vincent had alluded to us having sex in the past, but this time he was really persistent._

_Vincent snorted, rolling his eyes and recoiling away from me.  “Well shit, Darren,” he scoffed, “I mean, if you’re not gonna give me some, then maybe I should just fuck Jesse.  He’s been droppin’ hints.”_

_My breath hitched in my throat.  Wow, I was going to lose my boyfriend to some annoying kid in Remedial English? That would happen to me considering how lame I am.  Yeah, Vincent does deserve a guy who can give him what he needs emotionally and physically.  I can’t even introduce him to my parents or hold his hand at school like what normal couples do all because I’m too selfish to come out for him._

_“Well, if that’s what you want…” I muttered, my eyes stinging the slightest bit._

_“Don’t be stupid, Darren,” Vincent spat, yanking on my arm.  He tugged so hard that I toppled forward onto my stomach, lying bottoms-up on the bumpy futon mattress.  “If you’re nervous, it’s not that big of a deal, ‘kay? Just lay there and do as I say.”  He unbuckled his jeans and began to kick the clothing off, tossing them onto the floor along with the rest of his laundry._

_Alrighty, I can do this.  Just lie here and follow directions— that doesn’t sound too hard.  My heart was beating so quickly that I could almost feel its vibrations in the futon’s steel frame.  My breathing turned shallow and sped up as soon as Vincent began to paw at my own jeans._

_“D-do you have a condom?” I stuttered, cringing as soon as the nerdy question left my lips.  I knew that there was no way I’d ever get pregnant in my life, but the high school drilled it into our minds to always use a condom while having sex… well, they tried to convince us that abstinence was what all the cool kids were practicing.  But the teachers who knew that teenagers were driven by their hormones urged us to “Wrap It Up”._

_“Nope,” Vincent popped, not even bothering to stretch me out before thrusting himself inside me, making me cry out in agony._

**(っ- ‸ – ς)**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

“Did you enjoy the restaurant, Baby?” Paul whispered into my ear as soon as Justin pull out of the parking lot, Ronnie chatting away to him about something I didn’t really care about.  I could see the headlights of Rhett’s car behind us, carrying the rest of the group.

“Y-yes, I did, thank you,” I replied, nodding the smallest bit while trying to keep my eyes focused on the outside world as the car moved.  Just in case there was any kind of funny business, I needed to trace our movements in case I had to run for help.  My heart was racing in my chest the more turns and stops that Justin took, making it difficult to memorize the exact route to my house.

“Good,” Paul purred, so close to my that I could feel his soft lips move as he spoke every single syllable, “I’m glad.  And get used to me treating you, Baby.  ‘Cause after tonight, I’m gonna—”

“We’re here!” Justin announced as he pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater, cutting off Paul’s verbalized intentions, making me pout.

Paul patted my side, getting a little antsy in his seat.  “After the movie,” he said, sounding a little excited, “we’re… I’m— y-you, just gotta wait until after the movie.  It’s gonna be amazing.”

Well, way to put me on edge even more than I already was!  But at least that gave me an enormous clue: everything will go down after the movie… man, I hope the movie’s one of those obscenely long four hour ones.  My heart beat sped up and my palms grew sweaty, so sweaty that Paul eyed me as he grabbed onto one of them as we walked up towards the lit up theater.  He didn’t say anything though, and instead pulled me closer to him so that he could wrap an  arm around around my waist.  A little relief was offered with the fact that it was eerily dark outside, the overcast shrouding the light from the full moon which still seeped downward the slightest bit.  With the darkness and lack of crowds in the small town, there weren’t a lot of peeking faces that would be able to see me and the resident bad boy cuddled up with one another.  Hopefully the movie was rated R so that there’d be a slimmer chance of running into any of my classmates in the theater.

The movie theater looked like it had recently been built, being a two-story multiplex with tons of pink and blue neon lights lining the awning outside.  Once inside, I remembered what Ronnie had mentioned earlier about there being an arcade attached.  Over at the other end of the lobby, away from the concessions, were rows and rows of video games that were kind of calling out to me more than a scary movie— plus, I don’t like scary movies.  They creep me out too much and often resulted in me huddled up underneath my covers, poking my nose out at every bump and creak in the house.

“You’ll love this movie, Darren,” Ronnie cheered as our large group stepped up to the ticket counter, Paul acting like the head honcho again and ordering everyone’s tickets.  “It’s based off a horror movie from Japan, and people, like, died of fright during the critics’ screening!  Isn’t that awesome?”

No, not really.  “Uh…” I mumbled, trying to come up with a way to psychologically influence everyone into wanting to see the CGI cartoon about bunnies rather than some gruesome horror flick.  Yeah, I’m a chicken.

Even Paul chuckled at me, handing out the tickets to everyone else.  “Don’t worry, Baby,” he giggled, unaware of the way I flinched whenever he called me that in public, “if it gets too scary for ya, then you can just lean into Daddy.  I’ll protect you.”  He even gave me a playful wink, shooting a cold shiver through my spine.

“Thanks?” I said, unsure if that was a good thing or not.

Paul puffed out his chest with pride and the corners of his mouth pulled upwards.

We made our way towards the concession stand, Lola reminding Rhett that she’d finished every last bite of her vegetables at the restaurant.  As the other cult members ordered drinks and candies, Paul kept glued to my side while I nervously scanned the lobby for a familiar face.  Luckily, I didn’t recognize anyone, so that meant that so far, I was in the clear.

“Would my baby like a soda, or maybe some candy?” Paul cooed, wrapping his other arm around my waist, positioning himself so that he was holding me from behind.  The deranged dude even went so far as to rest his chin on top of my head (wow, I’m short).

“Y-yeah,” I stuttered, wiggling myself free from his inappropriate grasp and patting my wallet that was in my pocket.  “I, uh, have enough for an ICEE.  Lola made them sound good.”  I even gave the lamest laugh to appear like I totally hadn’t tried to curve Paul’s advances.

The older man grunted and yanked me back into his hard chest, using his strong arms like an iron cage, keeping me secured to him.  “I got it,” he said, his deep voice vibrating his powerful chest muscles against my back.  “Just let Daddy take care of you, ‘kay?”

“I can pay, really,” I scoffed, trying and failing to get out of his grip again.

“I’m very aware of that, Baby,” Paul said, that hated smirk audible in his cocky voice.  “But Daddy likes to spoil his baby, so let him.”

Well, the ICEE was only five dollars.  I didn’t get a glimpse of the check at the restaurant, but my movie ticket was twelve dollars.  Plus, Paul had paid for everyone else at the restaurant and for their movie tickets.  He must’ve been saving every penny that came his way, so what was five more bucks to him?

“Thanks,” I relented, hoping that I wouldn’t grow to regret allowing him to buy me my frozen, sugary drink.

“That’s a good boy,” Paul cooed, making me spasm with cringes.  “What flavor would my baby like?”

“Ch-cherry, please.”  My face will totally match my drink.

“That’s my favorite flavor, too,” Paul grinned, shuffling us forward in line as it moved.  When it was our turn, I tried again to get out of his grip, but the older man was way too strong for me to be a formidable opponent.  Instead, as soon as the cashier’s eyes landed on us, I immediately stared at my shoes, praying that he wouldn’t be able to recall my face if prompted.

“Hello, how may I help you?” the cashier asked in a robotic voice.

“Could I get one cherry ICEE, large?” Paul ordered, his grip tightening on me as he spoke to the male worker, almost as if he were trying to show that I was with him and was off-limits.  Whatever, he probably didn’t want the employee to lure me away from being inducted into the cult.  Perhaps they knew each other?

“Anything else?” the worker asked, typing away at the cash register.

“Just two straws with that,” Paul said.  Oh no, was he planning on sharing my drink with me? Well, he was paying for it, so I guess I technically shouldn’t complain… and I should be grateful that he’s getting separate straws for us.  But I don’t wanna look like some retro 50’s couple sharing a cold drink as they sat together out in public!  No!  I was supposed to find out the inner workings of the cult, not look like Paul’s boyfriend!

Paul paid for the ICEE and thanked the worker before moving us out of the line to wait for everyone else.  Once the entire group had their snacks, we went to our auditorium to get seats.  The theater itself wasn’t packed (thank God!) and a vast majority of the few patrons who were in there looked middle aged, so I wouldn’t have to worry about running into any them at school.

The cult walked up the steps in the auditorium to the very last row at the top, which was my favorite row anyways because that meant that no one could see us (unless they were obviously creepin’ and turning their heads to take a peek).  It shouldn’t have surprised me that Ronnie sat in Justin’s lap, Lola was in Rhett’s, and Nicky was in Patrick’s.  When Paul sat down and left his lap completely vacant, staring up at me expectantly, I nearly barfed all over him and his confidence.

Instead of embarrassing myself and him, I took the empty seat to his side, leaving myself on the end of the group (that way I wouldn’t have to crawl over a bunch of people if I needed to make my escape— I’m so smart!).

Paul sighed and put the ICEE in the cupholder that was between us.  “I won’t bite, ya know,” he urged, but then chuckled, “at least not too hard.”  He grinned down at me, his gleaming teeth looking a little sharper than normal, particularly his canines.  Seriously, they were literally protruding further out than the rest of his teeth, reminding me of how snarling dogs’ mouths look.

“Uh…?” I mumbled, wanting to ask Paul if he were wearing plastic vampire fangs that are sold at the dollar store, but I didn’t want to be rude in the off chance that he just had natural scary-looking teeth.

“Hmm?” he asked, cocking his eyebrow at me, his smile faltering the smallest bit.  “What is it, Baby?”

“N-nothing,” I lied, trying to convince myself that it was just the dim lighting in the theater that was playing tricks on me.  Yeah, that had to be it.  It was so dark in here that I couldn’t even see my feet, let alone see Paul’s teeth properly.

Paul pursed his lips, not totally believing me, but letting it slide for the moment.  The trailers began to play, each one showcasing a horror or slasher movie that made me sink further and further into my seat.  The older man next to me placed a giant, warm hand on my knee, making me freeze up.

At first, I was grateful that Paul was providing a distraction from the creepy images of people running from crazies in masks.  However, once my head began to clear, I realized that I was ridiculously feeling nice with Paul’s hand on my leg.  No!

I began to bounce my leg a little bit, telling him to let go, but he didn’t get the picture… of course.  I even tried clearing my throat, not wanting to make a dramatic scene with his friend Justin sitting on his other side.  Ronnie was gleefully cuddled up in his lap, slurping away at her soda and tossing in handfuls of M&M’s into her mouth.  Lola was entranced in the trailers, muttered “Yay” or “Nay” to each one, Rhett seemingly paying more attention to her than the giant, glowing screen.  At the other end of the group, Nicky yawned and rested his head on Patrick’s beefy shoulder, even managing to curl up his legs on the larger man’s lap, totally being held by him in the theater.  Patrick didn’t seem to mind though; it was quite the opposite because his smile stretched the confines of his face more and more.

Figuring that fighting would be a lost cause, I attempted to ignore Paul’s hand on my leg and tried to enjoy the movie.  The movie itself was terrifying.  I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but the second some girl had her eyes gouged out, I slapped my terrified hands over my own eyes.  The spine-tingling shrieks of agony from the characters on the screen assaulted my ears, making me whimper a little bit and try to envision something happy inside my head.  However, it was difficult picturing puppies and rainbows while I heard all the carnage from the film.

Paul made a yelping noise and I felt him shuffle around until he lifted up the armrest that was in between us.  The weight of his strong arm around my shoulders made me feel the smallest bit better and I foolishly thought that I could perhaps make it through the scary movie.  I peeked out from behind my fingers… just in time to see the killer slice some poor guy up into bite-sized chunks.  Yeah, that didn’t help me out.  Forget all the warning signs that were in front of my face regarding the cult.  Paul was a tough-looking man who gave off the aura that nobody messed with him unless they had a serious death wish.

I childishly latched onto his arm and buried my scared face into his chest, straining my ears for any indication that the scene was over yet.  However, due to all the hacked up screams and sounds of chainsaws revving, my fear only seemed to spike no matter how tightly I grabbed onto the cocky man at my side.

“Hey, Baby,” Paul cooed, wrapping his other arm around me to pull me into his warm embrace, “it’s okay.  Daddy’s got you, you’re safe.  It’s just a movie.”  He spoke to me in a soothing tone that a doctor uses when they administer a child a vaccine.  He attempted to calm me down, but it was futile, especially when I heard Ronnie yelp out in surprise at the movie.

“I’m not too good with scary movies,” I whispered, happy that my face was hidden from view so that I couldn’t see his condescending reaction.

However, Paul pulled me closer to him, moving me with ease as if I weighed nothing at all.  It took me a while to notice that I wasn’t in the hard, dirty chair of the movie theater anymore— no, instead I was seated in Paul’s warm lap, both of the man’s buff arms around me.  And as wrong as I knew the situation was, with teenage me sitting in a grown man’s lap, I couldn’t help but feel an immense wave of tranquility wash over me.  It was an odd sensation that I was experiencing: a warm glowing inside of me as I cuddled up to the large man who melodically hummed soothing noises that actually worked.  Instead of the terror that I’d previously felt during the horror movie, I was now awash in a confusing sanctuary inside Paul’s embrace.

No, this was wrong.

Before I could react though, Paul made a throaty noise that resembled a dog’s growl.  The low sound was menacing and vibrated his chest like crazy as his grip on me tightened up, shoving me even more into his muscled chest.

“Wha—?” I wondered, glancing up at the older man in confusion.  What was his problem? Maybe he had something caught in his throat and was trying to dislodge it? My eyes caught glance of the terrifying killer on the screen and I had to divert my gaze, trembling as I did so.

Again, Paul growled out intimidatingly.

“Did someone bring their dog in here?” a random patron asked, looking around the theater.

“Dude,” Justin hissed over at Paul, “calm down.  It’s just a movie.”

Paul muttered something back to his friend in such a hushed tone that I had trouble deciphering what was being said, but I caught, “…thing’s scaring my mate…can’t help it…”  What? I moved my face out from Paul’s chest to look around for something that could be frightening him as well.  On the screen, the camera zoomed in on the killer and as it did, a tremor went down my spine and another growl erupted from Paul.

What is going on around here?

Paul cleared his throat and jostled me the smallest bit.  “Wanna go to the arcade?” he asked me, already setting me onto my feet.

“S-sure,” I agreed, incredibly embarrassed that I couldn’t handle one horror movie.  Wow, I’m so lame.

Paul stood up and once again latched onto my hand, leading me down the steps and out of the theater.  I was so humiliated.  There I was: seventeen years-old and needing to be escorted out of a horror movie because I couldn’t take it.  My face was beet red and I kept my head hung low, trying to avoid any judgmental stares that may come my way.

“Hey, Baby,” Paul cooed, placing a large finger onto my chin, lifting my head up so that I could face him, “it’s okay.  That movie sucked anyway.”

“If you want to finish it, I can just wait out here and play some games,” I offered, feeling a little bad that he was missing out because I was too much of a chicken.

Paul scoffed, continuing to walk us over to the arcade.  “What kind of daddy would I be if I ditched my baby in his time of need?” he snorted, pulling a dollar out of his wallet to insert into the change machine.  “What’cha wanna play?”

Because he’s offering to let me play some games on his dime, I’ll ignore the “Daddy” comment for now.  But apparently, another clue to add to the plethora of hints that I’d been gathering is that Paul feels the need to take care of me.  Perhaps he thought that I was a virgin who he was gonna sacrifice to the goddess his cult worshipped.  Well, evidently, Vincent had came in hand for something because I wasn’t a virgin.  Whatever though.  I scanned the numerous game cabinets in the corner of the movie theater, laying my eyes on an air hockey table.

“Want to play air hockey?” I suggested.

Paul glanced down at me, motioning at my bright pink cast.  “Can ya play with that thing on?” he wondered, cocking his eyebrow at me.

I nodded.  “I’m right-handed,” I said, even grinning a bit.  “If you’re afraid you’ll lose then we can play something else?”

Paul snorted again and shook his head.  “Baby, you’re goin’ up against an alpha male, there’s no way you’ll beat me,” he snickered, guiding me over to the table.

A light bulb lit up in my brain and I could literally feel the cogs turning as I got a wonderful idea.  Air hockey was simple physics and geometry: hit the puck at the right angle utilizing the correct amount of force and I can score any kind of goal.  “If you’re so confident,” I said, trying to sound sly but it came out more squeaky, “then we should make this game a little more interesting.”

Paul inserted the quarters into the slot and took his position at the opposite end of table from me.  “Ya wanna play strip air hockey?” he nodded, a giant smile forming on his face.

I glanced around in the theater lobby, seeing several guests buying popcorn and numerous employees cleaning up their stations.  Yeah, there was no way I’d risk getting naked in front of all these people.  “No,” I huffed.  “Instead, if I score a point, then I get to ask you any question and you have to answer honestly, and vice versa.  No restrictions on questions.  Deal?” This was possibly the best idea I’ve ever came up with!  I wasn’t terrible at air hockey on the Wii, so how hard was it in real life?

Paul bit down on his lower lip in thought, grabbing onto his handle as soon as the air starting rushing out of the machine.  “Okay,” he finally agreed, grabbing the puck out of his slot, setting it down onto the table and quickly slamming it into my slot, scoring a point.  “So I get to ask a question now?”

Okay, so maybe I’m not the best at real-life air hockey.  “Y-yes,” I whimpered, a little nervous that he’d ask if I was gay or not.  Really, I could just lie if he did ask that, but then if I wasn’t being honest, what would say that he wouldn’t be too?

Paul smirked.  “Okay then,” he grinned, looking up as he thought over a question before perking up.  “What part of my body is your favorite?”

Oh okay, so he was going to play the perverted way.  Whatever.  I raked my eyes over the older man’s body, trying to find out what part of him I liked the best.  Sure he had a killer smile, gorgeous thick hair, and bulging muscles for days.  And to be perfectly honest, I kind of enjoyed each piece of him equally.  “Um, you have a nice… laugh,” I muttered, cringing at how lame I sounded.

“My laugh?” Paul chuckled, glancing down at his tight shirt that strained over his pecs that I swore he flexed.  “Nothing else?”

“Only one question per point,” I said, quickly setting the puck down onto the table, smacking the plastic hard with my handle… coming nowhere near his goal.  Darn it, I suck.

Paul must’ve been the unknown air hockey champion of California because with one mighty swing, he scored another point, his smirk taking up a majority of his face.  He thought for a brief second before narrowing his eyes at me.  “How’d you really break your arm?” he pressed, his voice low and calculating.  “‘Cause just by looking at you, I can tell you don’t even own a skateboard.”

Dang, he had me pegged.  “I fell,” I admitted, trying to be as vague as I could with my answers.

“How?” he urged.

“You have to score another point,” I laughed, trying to shoot the puck into his slot and missing again.  We should have played something non-athletic.

Paul barley moved his handle, practically tapping the puck into my slot as I wildly swung my handle around, unable to block his goal.  I think my handle’s broken.

“How did you fall?” Paul growled.  “And answer honestly.”  Paul’s eyes were stabbing right through me and his jaw was tightly clenched as he awaited my response.  He did definitely look menacing, and if I admitted that Jonathan was responsible for my broken arm, then I wouldn’t be surprised if a hit goes out on my stepdad.  Despite my personal feelings regarding Jonathan, he does pay the electric bill…

“I tr-tripped on the stairs,” I said, technically not lying.  “Just lost my balance.  Kinda clumsy, ya know?”

“You’re lying,” Paul said blankly, crossing his strong arms over his massive chest, straining his tight shirt.  “When you lie, you glance down for a little bit.  I’ve noticed.”

I didn’t know that I had a tell.  Good thing we weren’t playing Poker.  I was silently in shock, having no idea what to say.

“Tell Daddy,” Paul urged, “I scored the point.  That’s the rules after all.”

It was a little nerve-wracking to be standing under the scrutinizing glare of the angry man, and before I could even register what was happening, I slowly whispered, “I was pushed.”

Paul unleashed a snarl of pure rage and he slammed his handle down onto the table with such force that I was surprised the table didn’t topple over.  He stalked over to, his bulk swaying back and forth with intimidating power.  “Fuck this little game,” he snarled, “tell me who pushed you.  Now.”  He grabbed onto my good arm, refusing to let me move even a centimeter away from him.

“Uh…” I gasped, unsure how to react.  Do I sentence Jonathan to death or should I make up some imaginary person who wouldn’t come to harm? Unfortunately, even if I did try to lie, Paul apparently knew my tell.  “I c-can’t.”

“And why not?” Paul pressed.

I couldn’t even come up with a lie on the spot while under the demanding glare of the growling man.  I didn’t even know what was Paul’s problem.  He was behaving like some overprotective guard dog right now, completely out of character with how I’d earlier envisioned him.  Sure, he’d claimed that he was in love with me, but that was a lie…right?

“I-I just can’t,” I breathed.  If Jonathan died, then it would just be me and Mom, and my mother didn’t make enough money to take care of a mortgage.  As frustrating as it was, I knew that I needed my stepdad for the time being.

Paul groaned and ran his free hand over over his face in irritation.  “Darren,” he growled, trying very hard not to explode in the theater lobby, “if someone’s hurting you, then I need to know who so that I can take care of them.”

“Why?” I wondered aloud.

“Because,” Paul snorted, “I already told you: I love you.  And as your Daddy, it’s my responsibility to take care of you.”  There he goes being weird again.  Luckily, no other person was looking our way to see an older man calling himself some scared kid’s daddy.

“Why do you call yourself that?” I pressed, trying to change the subject.  “And why do you think that you’re in love with me? I mean, I barely know you.”

Paul flinched and looked down at me with an intense desire to keep pressing the issue of my broken arm, but he finally relented.  “You’ll find out later tonight,” he growled.  “And after tonight, you will tell me everything, got it?”

“Only if you tell me everything,” I bartered, glad that I was finally finding my moxie.  While Paul wasn’t looking, I snatched the puck out of the return slot and used my hand to slide it into his goal.  “But first, I get to ask a question.”

Paul’s stern face faltered and he chuckled, a small grin forming on his face.  “Fine,” he breathed.  “What do you want to ask me, Baby?”

Oh man, there were about a million questions that were running through my mind: Why does he call himself “Daddy”? Why does he think that he’s in love with me? Why are people calling him “Alpha”? Why did Patrick refer to me as “Alpha Mate”? What is planned for after the movies? Was there really a cult in Crescent City? Was he going to sacrifice me? Why did he freak out after seeing a picture of my mother? Why did he move me into his bed with him last night?

But I guess the most concerning one came out of my mouth automatically: “H-how do you see tonight ending?”

I suppose it was a good question, seeing as how it could entail several different possibilities.  But I swear, if Paul says that tonight ends with the reawakening of some demonic force after he sacrifices me, I’m bolting out of this theater.

Paul’s smile grew to dramatic proportions and he snaked his arms around me, yanking me into a smothering embrace that made me feel uncomfortable since there were other people around.  “Well Baby,” he cooed, leaning down closer to my ear as he spoke, “I see tonight ending in one of two ways.”

“Which are?” I asked, my voice a little muffled since my face was shoved into Paul’s chest.

“Well, the first, and my least favorite, is that I’ll drop you off at home and you’ll never hear from me ever again.  But that’s also the least plausible since, trust me, I’m very fast.”

What does that mean?

“The second, and the one that’s most likely, is that I’ll catch you and then I’ll take you home with me where we’ll spend most of the night with my cock up your ass as I claim you as all mine.”

…th-that’s a little vulgar.

What on earth is Paul talking about? Man, all that did was create more questions for me!  What did he mean by catching me? And why was he so sure that I’d have sex with him anyways?! I don’t just go around and sleep with guys I barely know!

“What do you mean?” I asked, shoving myself away from Paul’s chest.

“I’ve already said too much, Baby,” Paul shrugged, walking away from the air hockey table.  “This game’s gettin’ boring.  C’mon, I’ll win you a stuffy from the claw machine.”  

Yeah, I shouldn’t have come out on this thing.  So apparently, Paul was in a cult, and tonight involved some sort of ceremony that involved him catching me.  And based on the two scenarios that he gave me, if I get away, then he disappears.  But if he catches me, then I am stuck with him.  So obviously, I have to get away.

I stood in thought, trying to come up with an idea on how to beat Paul at whatever obscure thing he was planning.  I was still lost, my mind a jumbled mess as I tried to deal with all the stuff being thrusted at me from Paul, Vincent, and Jonathan.

“Here ya go,” Paul cheered, handing me stuffed wolf that he’d won from the claw machine.  “I won that just for you, Baby.  Now, how about you give Daddy a kiss?”

I took the stuffed animal from the older man, grimacing as he puckered out his lips at me.  “Um, thanks for the stuffed animal,” I muttered, taking a step back.

Paul rolled his eyes.  “You’re welcome,” he huffed.  “And know that after I catch you, I expect you to kiss me whenever I want.”  He inserted another quarter into the machine, leaving me to wonder just what kind of terrifying thing that psycho man had planned for tonight.  


	14. Ffunny Ffrends

“Ffunny Ffrends” - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

_Don’t be surprised if we / Try to be wise / Well love is much more than good advice / I rely all of my life / All of my life / On my Ffunny Ffrends_   
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**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
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**[Darren, The First Time]**   
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_It’s no secret that I’m terminally shy, and that prohibits me from making a lot of long-lasting friendships.  However, once I joined the Journalism Club at school, I was automatically granted with a handful of new friends.  It was great!  People would bring me their handwritten articles and I’d type them out and insert them on the templates, helping to design the overall look of the paper… which nobody really read.  But hey, I was finally a part of something!  And the best part was that when we’d hand out the school newspaper at lunch, my name was listed in the top right corner._ Template Designer: Juliette Sanchez and others.  _“Others” meant me!_

_The Chief Editor, Holly, had informed me one day that the Journalism Club was going to hold a Christmas Party after school one day.  “It’s super fun,” she’d said.  “Everybody brings a dish and we read a couple of the articles from the past year.  You should come, and no nonmembers allowed.”_

_I frowned at that last part.  “How come?” I’d wondered, a little fearful that I wouldn’t be able to attend due to that regulation._

_“‘Cause it’s more fun that way,” Holly had laughed.  “It’s tomorrow, after school in Room A213.  Bring something sweet.”_

_I knew deep down that if I really wanted to be an actual member of the club that I should partake in its parties and thereby interact with everyone.  Besides that, I’ve never been invited to a party, like ever.  Therefore, I was both excited to be going to my first party and a little apprehensive about the ramifications of the “No Nonmembers” rule.  And plus, I had no idea what sweet food to bring.  I can’t cook well so that left me with bringing store-bought baked goods.  So cookies or cupcakes? Which one said “Team-Player” more?_

_“Hey Vince?” I asked, gaining his attention from his PS4 as I did my homework on his bed.  Vincent’s mom was down in Mexico with her new boyfriend of the month, so I’d basically been living with my own boyfriend all week.  It was a nice and relaxing change of pace from the migraine-inducing life at home with Mom and Jonathan.  Whereas at home I had to walk on eggshells, being careful to not irritate my stepdad (which was much harder than it seems), at Vincent’s I was able to be myself.  And Vincent took really good care of me too.  He woke me up at seven in the morning on the dot.  We took a shower; he insisted that we bathe together and I’d been hesitant at first, but once he explained the environmental importance of rationing out water I couldn’t really argue… water is a valuable resource.  After we were all ready for school, Vincent drove us and escorted me to my first class, making sure to keep up appearances as just really close friends so as to keep my homosexuality under wraps.  Vincent even had to be all cute and walk me to every class that I had, waiting by the door for me to leave my current class so that we could venture through the halls to my next one, and so on.  Once school let out, Vincent drove us back to his place and we either ordered a pizza or ate TV dinners since neither of us knew how to prepare a meal.  He’d watch TV or play video games while I did my homework.  Then at night, we’d sleep in his bed as he held me tightly in his arms._

_I was having the time of my life, and I’d find myself sometimes envisioning that this was what my future held: pure bliss with the man of my dreams._

_“Hmm?” Vincent grunted, not taking his eyes off the glowing TV screen._

_I swallowed the nervous saliva that lined my cheeks, gulping loudly for some odd reason.  “Um, the Journalism Club’s going to have a Christmas party tomorrow after school.”_

_“Aww, bitch!” Vincent cursed as his player was killed by some enemy on his video game.  He tossed the controller across the room out of irritation and whipped his head around to face me dead-on.  “Okay, and?”_

_I probably should’ve waited to bring it up until after he was done playing his game.  He really got into those.  “And, um, I w-was wondering if I may go?” I asked._

_Vincent scrunched his face up in disgust.  “Shit, Babe,” he sneered, “I really don’t wanna spend my free time with a bunch of nerds.”  Oh, well I guess that solves one part of my issue, haha, get it? Issue, like newspaper and magazine issues? Journalism joke… sorry…_

_“That’s okay,” I said, perking up a little bit, “the Chief Editor said that it’s for members only.  So may I go?”_

_“Wait,” Vincent spat, standing up from his spot in front of the TV, “so you’re telling me that someone invited you to go to a party that your boyfriend’s not allowed to attend?” He narrowed his eyes at me, making me shiver and crouch back against the wall.  “And you don’t see a problem with that?”_

_I did think that it was a little weird at first, yes.  However, I really wanted to go to this party so that I could break out of my shell and make more friends.  I loved Vincent a lot, but he was honestly my one and only friend, making me feel kind of like a loser— no offense to him of course.  “W-well, the Chief E-Editor said that it was one of the rules,” I stuttered, my mouth immediately going dry as my boyfriend stalked over to the bed, his giant body swaying back and forth with intimidating power._

_“You’re not going,” he curtly growled, his fingers twitching as he grimaced in my direction._

_No, I really wanted to go and branch out.  I was in high school.  These years were supposed to be filled with memories and me and my friends venturing out into the world in order to explore life.  Instead, I’d wasted it all on the Internet.  I felt as if I needed to make up for lost time, and the party seemed like a nice first step.  “B-but, Vince, I really want to—”_

_“You wanna go?” Vincent accused, storming closer and leaning over me, his shadow covering my entire body.  “And why’s that? You and this editor have a thing going on behind my back, huh? Is that why you don’t want me coming? So that you and the editor can fuck around?”_

_I know that Vincent knew that Holly, the Chief Editor, was a girl.  I’ve talked about the Journalism Club over and over in his presence.  So either he hadn’t been paying attention or he was delusional.  Last time I checked, I was gay; so why would I be cheating on him with a female? Even if Holly was a guy, I wouldn’t cheat on my boyfriend because I’m not that kind of person.  I knew that the young man had low self-esteem and that some of that translated into his behavior in our relationship.  I’ve accepted that nobody’s perfect, but I was confused as to why Vincent would accuse me of cheating on him.  And with a girl, no less._

_“Vince,” I tried to say in my calmest voice, “you’re acting crazy—”_

_My head whipped to the side and it took me a while to register what had happened.  One second I’m trying to calm down my agitated boyfriend and the next, I see the wall along with several colorful spots blurring my vision.  I gasped as soon as the pain set in, the left side of my face feeling as if it were on fire from the intense stinging of the sucker punch that I’d received from my boyfriend.  My jaw hurt like crazy, throbbing with every beat of my heart, making me wince when I tried to open it to cry out— seriously, something was wrong— oh my gosh, I hope all of my teeth are still there.  When I tried to move my mouth, a stabbing sensation rippled throughout my head, bringing tears to my eyes, both from the pain and from the shock of what had just happened._

_“Wha-wha—?!” I panted, placing a tender hand against my face, flinching as soon as my fingers ran along the split skin on my cheek that was slowly oozing out blood._

_Vincent, his fist still balled in front of him, stood in silence for a moment, his dark eyes glazed over as he angrily huffed at me.  Then his eyes widened and he quickly dropped to his knees right beside me on the bed, yanking my huddled over body into his strong hold.  “Shh!” he hushed, rocking me back and forth in what was meant to be a comforting way, but he was doing it too fast.  “You know how I can get, but you still pushed me.  Why’d you have to push me, Baby?”_

_Vincent and I have had our disagreements in the past; all couples have little spats every now and then.  However, this was the first time that he ever put his hands on me.  And yes, I do know how he is.  I’ve seen him explode on people out in public, seen him smash the windows out of a classmate’s car for taking the good parking spot underneath the tree, and I’ve seen him punch his hand through drywall during a screaming match with his own mother— I suppose I should’ve known that Vincent has a problem with anger-induced violence._

_“I’m sorry,” I whimpered, trying to will myself to stop crying like a baby in front of my scary boyfriend._

_“It’s okay,” Vincent cooed, rubbing his thumb over my face to wipe away my tears that ran all the way down to my chin.  “Just next time listen to me, got it?”_

_I slowly nodded, wincing at the pain that I still felt in my jaw at the slightest movement of my head.  Vincent was right after all: I shouldn't have pushed him._

_I didn’t go to the Journalism Club’s Christmas Party, and I quit the club as soon as I could._

**‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

The whole reasoning behind me agreeing to go on this awkward and uncomfortable date night thingy (which wasn’t a date in my case, to be clear) was so that I could gather up some information on the Crescent City Cult.  Despite having some clues thrown my way, I wouldn’t exactly say that the mission was successful.

So far the only hints that I’d received was that Paul seemed to be in charge of the cult thanks to his title of “Alpha”; and I was referred to as “Alpha Mate” for some odd reason.  Logic dictated that we were somehow linked in an unknown fashion— Paul had mentioned that I was his, so apparently he meant that I was his… mate? What, did everybody relocate from Australia? Other than those hints, I was also assaulted with the painful fact that everybody in this tiny town has a Daddy Kink and that people just sit on grown mens’ laps like it was nothing to think twice about.

Perhaps the greatest hint of all came from the Alpha’s mouth directly.  Paul had alluded to there being some sort of activity after the movies.  Said activity involved him catching me, resulting in one of two outcomes: 1). He doesn’t catch me and he disappears from my life, and 2). He does catch me and believes that I’ll have sex with him.  Honestly, Vincent had left such a sour taste in my mouth (sometimes literally) when it came to sex, so I was leaning towards the first outcome.  No, strike that: I was PRAYING for the first outcome— the second was not an option for me.  I’d stupidly, against my better judgment, hung out with the members of the Crescent City Cult and now it was imperative that I was in some sort of danger.  So I needed to get away from Paul and do everything in my power for him to not catch me.

“Want another one?” Paul asked me, interrupting me from my train of thought.  He pointed at a stuffed t-rex in the claw machine.  “I think I can get that one for ya, Baby.”

I glanced down at the stuffed animals that Paul had already won for me: the bear, the wolf, the duck, the green alien, the cat, the chicken, and two frogs.  “I think I’m good,” I muttered, my face already a deep scarlet from the unnecessary amount of stuffed animals that Paul had given me.  One of the theater employees kept glancing our way, cocking her eyebrow at us and shrugging it off.

“You sure?” Paul asked, sounding as if he didn’t believe me.  “‘If my baby wants something, all he has to do is tell Daddy.”  Ugh, this whole Daddy-thing was starting to give me indigestion.

“No thanks,” I mumbled, wondering how an earth I was going to carry all of these toys in the first place.  And how could I sneak them into my house without having to come up with some ridiculous excuse to Jonathan as to why I had tons of stuffed animals meant for someone half my age?

Paul shrugged it off and took a seat on the bench next to me, resting his arm around my small shoulders, making me sink lower in my place.  Of course I wanted him to remove his arm, but I also knew that it was practically useless trying to argue with the older man who viewed himself as the self-appointed boss of Crescent City.

“So,” I mused, trying to rid my mind of any level of anxiety as possible, “wh-what is planned for after the movie?” Obviously running and catching me was involved, so the most likely scenario that I could muster up was that some sort of deranged game of cat-and-mouse was going to be played.  Was that how people were initiated into the cult?

Paul yanked his phone out of his pocket, glancing at the screen for a moment.  “You’ll find out really soon,” he grinned to himself, his large canine teeth poking eerily out of his mouth.  Creepy…

“Why can’t you tell me now?” I complained, feeling as if I’d pass out from nerves at any moment.  The fear of the unknown was something extremely foreign to me.  When I was with Vincent, I knew exactly what was hiding behind every corner— of course I’d been afraid then too.  However with Paul, I was going in blind, having no clue what to anticipate.  That caused my mind to come up with obscene scenes that ranged from running away from a bloodthirsty cult leader who wielded a machete to having to watch an excruciatingly long PowerPoint on the health care benefits that the Crescent City Cult provided upon admission.  Both seemed just terrible.

“It’s tradition, Baby,” Paul shortly answered.  “The movie should be letting out soon.”

Oh my goodness, it was happening soon.  My breath began to grow raspy and I could feel a cold sweat start to bead up on my paling forehead.  “Are you going to kill me?” I foolishly blurted, feeling both incredibly childish and fearful as I awaited Paul’s answer.

“Holy shit, Baby,” Paul scowled down at me, patting my shoulder reassuringly, “I have no clue what kind of backwoods relationships you’ve had in Texas, but there’s no way I’d ever hurt you.  I don’t know why you keep on forgetting that I love you.”  He stared me down with his intense eyes, leaning closer to my pale face.  “You don’t hurt the ones you love.”

Sure…  Anyways, I guess I was a little satisfied with his answer; apparently Paul had no intentions of killing or causing any bodily harm to me tonight.  That was a major plus in my direction, yet I couldn’t help but feel an impending sense of doom, like something big was going to happen and it’d totally screw me over in the process.  Call me crazy or call me a little traumatized from my relationship with Vincent, but I was nowhere near close enough to trusting another guy, or human being for that matter.  “Okay,” I muttered, sounding far from believable.

Paul loudly sighed, using his free hand to pinch the skin between his eyes in agitation.  “Babe,” he groaned, “your emotions are not stealth at all, I hope you know that.”  He tightened his arm around me, pulling me in closer to his larger body that radiated an intense heat similar to that of an electric blanket.  In the chilly movie theater, it felt rather comforting.. in a completely platonic sort of way.

However, despite how nice it felt to have the older man’s arm secured around me, my anxiety spiked to an obscene level at the possibilities of what Paul was referring to.  What did he mean by my emotions not being stealth? Could he so easily read the fact that I was gay and planned to use it as ammo against me like my ex had?

“Wh-what do you mean?” I whimpered, swallowing loudly.

Paul’s eyes widened slightly as he watched my Adam’s apple quiver, his tongue darting out over his lower lip so quickly that I was unsure if I’d even seen it at all.  He straightened his posture, leaning in closer to me so that he could lower his voice.  “I mean that it’s painfully obvious that someone in your life, and I don’t know who, hurt you real badly.”  He clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes… flickering a yellow color? No, it had to have been the cheap lighting in here or the reflection from the neon lights on the claw machine.

“No,” I lied, even shaking my head; but my voice cracked thereby effectively ratting me out.

Paul made that throaty noise that resembled a growl again.  “Either way,” he huffed, “once I find out who hurt my baby…”  He trailed off, letting out a low chuckle that made me think of an old-timey villain— the possibilities endless regarding Paul’s revenge.  “…I guess I could break their legs and make them crawl through the forest.  Or I could just slice their face up and render them unrecognizable.”

“Uhh… what?”

He shook his head.  “Nothing, Baby, just talking to myself.”

Okay, so I think I might have accidentally put a hit out on Jonathan and/or Vincent.  Oops.  I was about to lie again and say that no one had ever hurt me, but I was stopped by two things.  The first was the notion that Paul had pointed out that I had a tell when I lied and would thus be able to easily see right through me.  And the second was that a crowd of people started to flood out into the lobby, meaning that the movie had let out.  Ronnie skipped out with Justin’s arm hooked in hers.  She made her way over to where Paul and I were sitting on the bench, her eyes going wide as she took in the insane amount of stuffed animals that Paul had won for me.

“Whoa!” she gasped before turning to her boyfriend.  “Why can’t you be good at the claw machine? I wanna stuffie!”

Justin sighed and grimaced at Paul.  “Thanks a lot,” he muttered before digging into his pockets for some change so that he could win Ronnie something.

“So how was the movie?” Paul asked as soon as the rest of the group caught up to us.

“It was lame!” Ronnie whined.  “The CGI was obvious in almost all the scenes and they tried to have a twist ending.  But I called it, like, fifteen minutes into it.  How come you guys didn’t stick around?”

Immediately my face began to burn even hotter and I was about to fess up about being a chicken when Paul squeezed my shoulder.

“I got a stomach ache,” he said, patting his belly with his free hand.  “My steak must’ve been too rare at the restaurant.  Darren was nice enough to look out for me.  Cute, right?” What was he doing?

“So cute,” Ronnie agreed, nodding.  “Well then, Darren, we’ll just have to have you over one night and we can all watch scary movies on Netflix.”  No way.

“Maybe,” I muttered, trying to come up with an excuse to bail.

Lola hurried over to us, bouncing up and down in place.  “So Darren,” she gushed, “are you excited about what’s next?” Her eyes were alight with glee and it seemed as if she were in on whatever was planned regarding the running thing.  Was everybody here going to chase me and whoever caught me got to kill me? If that’s so, I hope Ronnie doesn’t get me because she’s way too perky sometimes.  Perky = Crazy, just sayin’.

“What is next exactly?” I pressed, hoping that I could get one of the Talkative Two to spill the beans on the next activity for the night.

Unfortunately, the both of them shook their head at me, seeing right through my crystal clear scheme.  “Sorry Darren,” Ronnie shrugged.  “I have specific instructions to not reveal a single detail to you.”

“From who?” I asked, although I had a serious hunch that it was the man who held onto me like I was a teddy bear of his own.

“Who do you think?” she chuckled, her eyes darting towards none other than smug Paul.

Before I could think up another question to ask her, Justin walked up, red in the face and with a stuffed cat in his claws.  “Here,” he grunted, shoving the toy towards Ronnie whose eyes lit up with joy.  “Took me fourteen tries, but I finally got one for you.  I hate those machines.”

“Thank you, Daddy!” Ronnie gushed, yanking the older man into a giant hug, all traces of irritation disappearing from his face the second his girlfriend embraced him.

A large smile formed on his previously pissed off face and he hugged her back, cooing, “Of course, Baby.”

Paul cleared his throat and stood up from the bench, helping me up to my feet with one swing of his strong arm— actually, I didn’t have to use any of my own strength, Paul literally picked me up and placed me on my feet.  “It’s getting to be about that time,” he announced to the small group, using that familiar authoritarian tone.  “Mates in one vehicle, wolv— um, Daddies in the other.”  He looked down at me, his dark eyes lighting up the smallest bit as a nervous grin began to form on his lower face.  “I’ll see you soon, Baby.  And don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.  Everything’s gonna be fine.”

Usually when someone says that everything will be fine, they really mean that something big is going down and that they hope that the other person doesn’t have a panic attack— at least that what it means based on my personal experiences.  I slowly nodded, not wanting to say anything lest I release a scream of terror in the middle of the crowded theater lobby.  Paul puckered out his lips and began to lean forward to kiss me, but I quickly held up the stuffed bear that he’d won for me, using it as a shield between us.  As soon as Paul’s lips brushed up against the faux fur of the stuffed toy, his eyes shot open with confusion and then narrowed at me.

“I’ll see you soon, Baby,” he huffed and began to saunter towards the the exit of the multiplex.  He was followed by Justin, Rhett, and Patrick after each one planted a quick kiss onto their significant other’s lips.

As soon as the men left the theater, I briefly considered asking the rest of the group if they’d rather do something/anything else, like run through traffic.  That sounded a lot more alluring than whatever cryptic activity that Paul had planned for us.  My mind was racing with the numerous possibilities and each one of them made my heart race even faster to the point of it shattering my ribs like a jackhammer.  I was doomed, I knew it.  I couldn’t exactly explain why I felt so pessimistic about what was going to happen, but I’ve learned to trust my gut no matter what.  And right now, my gut was berating me for coming out tonight in the first place.  I should’ve just stayed home and played video games or gone on _Crunchyroll_.

“Ready?” Ronnie asked, bouncing in place.  She helped me pick up some of my stuffed animals, the both of us holding a lot in our arms, attracting confused and envious stares from the other patrons as we exited.

“Wh-who’s driving?” I asked, having wartime flashbacks of my last time in the car with Ronnie behind the wheel.

“I am,” Lola piped up.  “I need the practice.”  Oh God why?

On the other hand, if I died on the way there, then I’d technically be safe from Paul’s running excursion; sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.  The four of us trekked through the dark parking lot over to a small car parked underneath a light post.  I got into the backseat with Nicky, my legs bouncing anxiously as Lola started up the car.  I noticed that Justin’s car was still in the parking lot, making me wonder if the guys were just relaxing in it or were smoking behind the theater or something.  

Luckily, Lola was hyperbolically better at driving than Ronnie, but I could tell that she was a little nervous behind the wheel because she stayed twenty under the speed limit the entire drive— but that gave me more time to mentally prepare myself, so I wasn’t complaining.  My breath grew raspy and I stared outside at the dark forest that whooshed by, completely shrouded in darkness as the moonlight was covered by a thick layer of clouds.  My brain refused to calm down, preventing me from coming up with a rational idea of what was to come.

“S-so,” I stuttered from the back seat, tightly clutching the stuffed wolf to my body in a childish attempt to comfort me, “h-have any of you guys d-done this whole, um, run-thing?”

“Oh, of course,” Ronnie nodded, turning down the radio a couple of decibels so that I could hear her more easily.  “Except, I hate running, so I just chilled for my allotted time.”

“Dude!” Lola chuckled, the car swerving the smallest bit as she laughed.  “I remember I was so scared that I almost pissed myself.  I ran and ran like crazy but I was no match for Rhett’s insane speed.  They say he’s the fastest one, ya know.”  Who says that? And why would she be terrified? And from what she’d just said, it meant that the people in the car were sort of, for a lack of a better and less scary word, prey.  That would mean that the men (Paul, Justin, Rhett, and Patrick) were the predators.  Did this mean that the guys chased down their significant others as some sort of game that determined the fate of their relationship? It made a little sense seeing as how Paul had casually mentioned that I’d either never hear from him again or we’d (he wishes) have sex tonight.  

What kind of creepy kink is that?!

I turned over to glance at Nicky who was pretty silent, being even quieter than me which was an extreme feat.  He was also glancing out the window, his eyebrows furrowed and his face strained.  “Did you do the run?” I asked him, hoping that since he also seemed shy, the two of us would have some sort of socially awkward bond that would influence him to tell me everything that he knows about the Crescent City Cult.

He shrugged, not even turning to look at me.  “I dunno,” he muttered, his voice small and scratchy.

Huh? 

“Um, Darren,” Ronnie said, turning around to give me a sympathetic look, “Nicky was in a car accident last month.  He hit his head pretty bad and can’t remember a thing before waking up in the hospital.”

I dropped the stuffed animal out of shock and flinched back.  “Oh, I-I’m sorry!” I hurried out, scared that I hurt the guy’s feelings.  “I h-had no idea!”

“S’fine,” he mumbled monotonously.  “Patrick’s been helping me out a lot.  So it’s okay.”

“Yeah…” Ronnie trailed off, biting on her lip as she turned back around in her seat.

The car ride was silent for the rest of the drive, the only sounds being the staticky pop sound that filtered in on the radio.  Lola took a turn down a dirt road, the car shaking viciously as it traveled over the bumpy terrain.  After about ten minutes on the dirt road, we reached a large clearing where I saw numerous trucks and motorcycles.  There were a lot, and a majority of them seemed a little familiar, almost as if I’ve vaguely seen them all before somewhere.

“We’re here!” Ronnie cheered, eagerly hopping out of the car and racing off down a dusty trail that split through the woods.

I stayed in the car for a brief second, wondering just what on earth I was doing here.  I’d originally came out to uncover the inner workings of the Crescent City Cult and hopefully figure out a way to get Paul to leave me alone.  And oddly enough, a solution had technically presented itself: If I managed to evade Paul and not get caught by him in some obscure game of demented tag, then I was free from him and the cult.  I had a fifty percent chance of being free and able to live a normal life (after I deal with Vincent, but I’ll focus on him later).

“Are you coming?” Nicky slowly asked, snapping me out of my panicked haze.

I glanced over at him, finding out that we were the last two still in the car, having been ditched by the girls.  “D-do you know what the run’s about?” I wheezed.  “I’m really nervous about this thing.”

Nicky’s eyes squinted and he awkwardly fidgeted in his seat.  “I don’t really remember,” he admitted, making me feel like a jerk for pressuring him.  “But I do know that if you get caught, then Paul will—”

“Nicky, Baby, what’s taking you so long?” I heard a deep voice ask from my cracked open door.  I jumped and saw that Patrick was standing at the edge of the trail, shrouded by the shadows with only his concerned face visible.  “You okay, Baby?”

Nicky paled and nodded.  “Y-yes,” he nodded, swallowing loudly.

Patrick mock-frowned.  “Hey, we talked about this,” he scolded, his voice taking on a parental tone, “the doctors said to continue everyday habits.”

The small boy beside me rolled his eyes and deeply sighed.  “Yes, _Daddy_ ,” he bit, opening up his door and scampering out of it, facing me one last time.  “Run fast.”  He slammed the door shut and raced down the trail, moving a little faster than his boyfriend.

It was honestly kind of weird that Paul didn’t come over to see what was taking me so long, but I shook that thought out of my head.  Whatever, time to get this done and over with.  Taking a deep breath, I got out of the car and walked down the beaten path on shaky legs.  It was so dark in the forest that I kept my arms outstretched in front of me so that I wouldn’t get gouged by a low-hanging branch.  What little moonlight that trickled down to the ground illuminated little, making me squint my eyes as I tried to see a single thing in front of me.  Off in the distance, I could hear the faint rumblings of multiple conversations, putting my conscious at ease the smallest bit.  At least with the obvious sign of people around, my chances of running into a giant bear or feral wolf were significantly lower… I hope.

An aboveground tree root caught my foot, making me stumble and fly into some nearby bushes.  I fell through the scratchy foliage, landing hard on my back in a clearing where the faint orange glow of a campfire lit up a small radius.  The talking ceased and my face burned hotter than the campfire as all eyes landed on me as I was sprawled out on the dirt, struggling to regain my breath.  Man, I hope I get a flashlight or something when it’s time for me to run.  This pitch black night of the forest was a serious handicap.

“Are you okay, Alpha Mate?” a concerned voice asked me as I was helped to my feet by several different and unknown people.  There was that foreign nickname again.

“What— what did you call me?” I coughed, wiping the dirt off my sweater with my good arm.

My question went unanswered as I saw Paul rush over to me, quickly yanking me into his bare chest… no, he wasn’t just not wearing a shirt.  At first I thought that Paul’d brought a pet python or something, but I eventually realized that the man was nude.  The older man was straight-up butt naked in the middle of the darn forest with all these people watching him hug me.  “Are you okay, Baby?” he frantically asked.

“P-Paul!” I gasped, trying to shove him away from me.  “Where are your clothes?” Really, why was he naked in front of all these people? 

“Are you okay?” Paul repeated, his voice full of urgency as his crazy eyes raked all over my dusty and leaf-covered body.

“I’m fine,” I hissed, still trying to squirm out of the strongman’s hold, but it was futile.  How on earth was everyone here able to watch a naked man hold onto a struggling underage teen and not do a thing about it? Seriously, what the hell?!  This was totally messing up my cloak of heterosexuality, making me cringe and kind of want to be thrown into the large campfire that was in the center of the forest clearing.  At least that way I’d be free of this embarrassment.  Looking around the crowd of gathered people, there had to be around thirty or forty, a good chunk of them unknown strangers to me.  But I recognized Ellie and a handful of kids from my high school, and even the pizza man.  Then I realized something even more nightmare-inducing: more than half, like seventy-five percent, of the crowd was naked.

Horror was slowly dawning on me as the terrible truth was beginning to come to light: Paul had brought me to an orgy!

“Paul, wh-what is this?” I stuttered, my legs shaking like crazy and my head feeling so incredibly heavy that I feared I’d pass out at any moment.  My throat was dry and my cell phone burned a hole in my pocket, practically screaming at me to call 911 so that I could get some help out of this perverted situation. 

Paul slowly swayed his body back and forth, trying to comfort me the smallest bit, but it completely failed.  “Baby, relax,” he cooed, his voice soft and gentle as if he were speaking to a baby and not a scared spitless teenager, “no one here will hurt you.  As I’ve told you before: you’re mine.  And everyone here knows that too.”

This was too much to take!  I regretted everything!  I should’ve stayed at home and I never should have tried to break out of my shell.  Shoot, a piece of my brain told me that I should’ve stayed back in Texas with Vincent.  He may have beat me up several times, but he never took me to a frickin’ orgy in the middle of the barren woods!

“What is going on here?” I cried, my voice cracking with nerves.  “And where’s everyone’s clothes?!”  The naked crowd of spectators looked around at each other with worry and concern, most likely coming to their senses.

“That’s always the first question,” a fully-clothed Ronnie snickered as she playfully elbowed a naked Justin who just shook his head at her, making her purse her lips.

“I promise that I’ll tell you everything, okay,” Paul said, pulling back to stare down at my terrified face.  “But first, I’m going to need you to calm down, okay Baby?”

That was impossible!  How could he expect me to calm down in a moment like this? My breathing was on the verge of hyperventilation and my sight was starting to get a little blurry.  “I c-can’t,” I panted, my knees buckling so hard that my entire body shook with anticipation.  I lost all feeling in my fingers, the numbness traveling up my arms and into my torso.

“Shit,” Paul hissed to himself, dragging me over to a fallen tree, before turning to face the crowd.  “Beta stay, everyone else get into position!”  The way he barked at the other people in the clearing almost reminded me of a drill sergeant, his voice full of such force and power that my legs straight-up gave up on me, making my body almost collapse back down onto the forest floor.

The sounds of shuffling feet sounded out and my mind seemed to shut out almost everything in the forest… except for Paul.  The strong feeling of his buff arms holding me to his equally chiseled chest was the only thing that I could register.  I felt his muscles flex and contract as he sat down onto the fallen log, pulling me down onto his lap.  My head, too heavy for me to hold up, rolled back and rested on his broad shoulder.  Oh man, I’ve never felt like this before, except for that one time when I’d donated blood and passed out while connected to the machine.  Paul was saying something to me, I know it, but his words were fuzzy and the only indication that I had that he was speaking was the faint vibrations that I felt from his chest.  He wrapped his large arms around my waist, pressing my back flat against him as he held me on his naked lap (and yes, I felt something poke me but forced myself to ignore it).  I felt his stomach inflate itself in an exaggerated fashion before flattening again.

Since my head was tilted back, all I got to see was the night sky.  The clouds had parted the smallest bit, showcasing the numerous scatterings of stars.  It was beautiful and for a moment, all of my worries were gone.  When I was child, I used to stare up at the night sky and stare at the stars for hours on end, tracing out constellations and pretending that somewhere out there, my father was seeing the same exact shapes in the sky as I was.  And when I’d been hiding in my room from Jonathan or was lying awake at night in Vincent’s choking embrace, I’d always look up at the stars and moon because I felt deep in my gut that Daddy, whoever that was, was doing the same exact thing.

And speaking of the moon, the moon was full and reflected the sun’s light with white radiance, casting a glowing luminescent grace all across the evergreens.  How ironic that Paul held this cult meeting in the middle of the forest during the night of the full moon.  And how ironic that people referred to him as “Alpha”, kind of like a dog pack.  And how weird it was that the folklore book that I’d purchased in Port Steele told stories depicting werewolves…

“…c’mon Baby,” I heard Paul frantically whimper at me, his voice starting to clear up the smallest bit.  “Feel Daddy breathe.  In and out, feel that?” He took in a deep gulp of air, puffing out his stomach slowly, trying to get me to mimic his movements to break me of this panic attack that I was having.

…But it couldn’t be true, right? I mean, werewolves were the stories of Halloween and Hollywood.  They don’t exist and even if they did, they wouldn’t be some Daddy!Kink-loving creatures.  I was on the verge of fainting, brought on by an anxiety attack— I was delusional.  And yet, Paul’s canine teeth were much larger than any normal person’s that I’ve seen before.  And he made this kind of throaty noise whenever he was mad that resembled a dog’s growling.  Also, he does kind of have a pack mentality, behaving as if he were the one in charge of everyone and everything within his territory…

“That’s it, Baby!” Paul breathed a sigh of relief as I began to copy his movements, unconsciously breathing in sync with him.  “That’s it, just breathe.  Breathe with Daddy and then everything will be alright.”  Again, he over-exaggerated his breathing, his arms tightening around me in a desperate hug.

…There was something wrong going on in Crescent City.  Howie was in on it because he used to work in the sheriff’s department, so he would have inside information that could potentially involve the existence of monsters within city limits.  And ever since we moved here, I have overheard several howls and snarls around the house, almost as if there was an extremely large dog prowling around outside.  And Paul had said that I was his, and dogs tend to have a possessive relationship with their belongings, which would explain why he was so, well, possessive of me…

“It’s okay, Baby,” Paul cooed, pressing a quick kiss onto my cheek.  “Daddy’s got you.  You’re fine.  Daddy’s here.”

…I was crazy, plain and simple. The logical answer was that Paul was the leader of some moon-worshipping cult.  But why was he naked? I mean, in _American Werewolf in London_ , the main character, a werewolf, walked around naked for a little bit.  And Paul did eat a lot of protein now that I think about it, almost like a carnivore.  But werewolves don’t exist, even if all of the facts and data was slapping me across the face…

“Are you feeling better, Baby?” Paul asked, refusing to loosen his hold on me.  I noticed that Justin and Ronnie were the only ones left of the large group, and when Justin took a step forward, Paul yanked me in closer to his chest, unleashing a loud snarl at the naked man.  His bare chest vibrated like crazy and I could see him bare his teeth from my peripherals, his menacing sounds making the other man stand back and hang his head in submission.

“I was just trying to see if Alpha Mate was alright, Alpha,” Justin slowly said in a soft voice.

“I know, j-just give me a little bit to calm down,” Paul growled, his voice tense and his body rigid as he tightened his hold on me even more, nearly cutting of my air flow..

Okay… okay, I could be wrong.  And I probably am wrong, I mean, this kind of stuff doesn’t happen outside of books and fan-fiction.  But just because I couldn’t think of anything else, and I’d already busted my butt in front of everyone, I figured that I had nothing else to lose.

“P-Paul?” I choked out in a cracking and shaky voice, still staring at the stars in a poor attempt to remain calm. 

“Yes, Baby?” Paul answered, leaning forward to nuzzle my neck, moaning deeply as he inhaled my scent.

The full moon was so bright that I had to close my eyes, my bottom lip quivering as I prepared myself to ask my question.  “Are—“ I swallowed loudly and took a deep breath, “a-are you… a werewolf?”

He was going to laugh, I know it.  Paul was going to laugh and then take me to the hospital because I’d must’ve hit my head when I’d tripped over the tree root.  I was being stupid because werewolves do not exist and I’d childishly convinced myself that there were all of these telltale signs in front of me.

“Yes,” Paul breathed, leaning down so close to my neck that I felt his sharp teeth graze my skin as he responded.

Oh God…  I covered my face with my hands so that no one could see me almost break down.  Of course the man whose attention I’ve attracted would be a werewolf.  Why can’t I attract normal and safe guys? Again, my breathing sped up and my eyes began to sting with the terror that I felt deep within my soul.  “A-are you gonna eat me?” I choked out, my voice breaking as I feared the answer that would tell me whether or not I’d be a new flavor of Kibbles ’N’ Bits.

“Hey, Darren, look at me,” Paul ordered, loosening his hold on me the smallest bit so that I could turn around.  

I stayed put though, sitting as still as a stone so that I wouldn’t completely fall apart.

“Baby, please, look at me,” Paul urged, his voice pleading and void of all of the authority that he’d used on the other people (or werewolves) earlier.

I couldn’t do it.  I shook my head, keeping my hands superglued to my face.  If I looked Paul in the face and saw something like yellow eyes or elongated teeth, then that’d confirm everything and then werewolves wouldn’t be a figment of my overactive imagination, oh no.  They’d be flesh-and-blood real.

Paul sighed, bringing his lips down to my ear.  “Okay, then please listen to me then,” he said, his hot breath wafting over my face and upper neck, making the hairs on my arm stand up.  “I promised that I will never hurt you, and I meant it.  There’s something that I really need to tell you, okay? And it’s very important.  Are you listening?”

Begrudgingly.  “Y-yes,” I whispered so low that I had trouble hearing myself.

I was pulled back into Paul’s chest, a place where I had slept so comfortably before… oh goodness, I’d shared a bed with a werewolf.  There’s no coming back from that…

“Baby, I need you to listen to Daddy because this part’s super important,” Paul pressed.  “You are my mate.  That means that the two of us are tied together forever, okay? Ever since that first second I laid eyes on you,  I was so hopelessly in love with you.  And I always will be, no matter what.”

…what?

“And as Alpha of the Crescent City Pack, it’s my duty to educate you on mating rituals, starting with the Mating Run.”

Paul was a werewolf, oh wait.  No, he wasn’t just a werewolf, he was the Alpha who was convinced that he was in love with me.  This just keeps getting better and better.

“What’s a Mating Run?” I whimpered, already fearing the answer.

“Daddy will tell you as soon as you look at him,” Paul yelped, giving me a little nudge.

Do I even want to know? Figuring that, based on what I’d been told at the movies, this running thing was my best bet at getting away from werewolves so I needed to pay attention.  I slowly removed my hands from my face and pried open my eyes, wanting to cry out in horror as Paul’s glowing yellow eyes bored down at me.  As soon as our eyes met, his smile grew wide and his sharp canines poked out over his bottom lip, gleaming under the moonlight.

Paul Martinez is an alpha werewolf who’s in love with me.  Oh fuck.

“Good boy,” he cooed, gently squeezing my shoulder.  “Now, a Mating Run is what new mates must do according to tradition.  In a wolf relationship, there’s a dominant and a submissive, and since I’m the Alpha that automatically makes me the dominant.  And as such, that means that you, as the submissive, have exactly one hour to evade me in the woods as I try to catch you and mark you in my wolf form.” 

What does “mark” mean? I wanted to ask, but my throat was bone dry and I began to frantically think up a game plan to get away from the psycho werewolf and his cronies.  Darn it all!  I was so screwed and I had no one else to blame but myself.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I should’ve stayed at home tonight.

“Oh,” Paul added, that hated smirk forming on his lupine face, “I forgot to mention that your hour started twenty minutes ago when we left the movies.”

That only gave me forty minutes to outrun a crazy werewolf?!

Acting on instinct, I squirmed out of Paul’s hold, watching his smirk grow into a full-grown smile as he prepared for the hunt.  But first, in order to give myself a head start, I raised my left arm above my head and swiftly brought my cast crashing down onto Paul’s lap, effectively smashing his testicles.

“Fuck!” he gasped, painfully doubling over as he fell onto the ground, trying to regain his breath from the blow to his nuts.

My casted arm throbbed like crazy, bringing tears to my eyes, but I ignored it as best as I could, sprinting out of the clearing and into the dark woods, hearing the pained grunts from Paul and the chuckling from Ronnie behind me.

The forest was incredibly dark and I couldn’t see a frickin’ thing, but I couldn’t let Paul catch me!  If he did, then I’d be a mate to an alpha werewolf and he’d try to do me tonight!  I may not be a cryptozoologist, but I’m willing to bet a million dollars that sex with a werewolf isn’t the safest activity.  Therefore, I pumped my arms as I ran, willing my feet to move as fast as they could down the dirt path towards the car.  Lola had the keys, but maybe one of the other vehicles was unlocked with the keys in them.  It was the best shot that I had.

A loud and ferocious howl roared out from behind me and I pushed forward even faster, refusing to look back as the hunt began.


	15. Hungry Like The Wolf

“Hungry Like The Wolf” - Duran Duran

_I’m on the hunt down / I’m after you / Mouth is alive with juices like wine / And I’m hungry like the wolf / Stalked in the forest too close to hide / I’ll be upon you by the moonlight side_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Darren, Trying to Talk]**   
****

_I know that something is wrong with my relationship with Vincent, I’m not that naïve._

_I knew that regular couples may argue every now and then, exchange some heated words or storm off in an irritated huff; my parents did it all the time, especially when Jonathan wasn’t getting his way.  And I also knew, thanks to all the after-school specials I’ve seen like_ Degrassi _, that it was never okay for one to put their hands on the other in a romantic relationship.  Period._

_However, Vincent had trouble controlling his temper— that was no secret.  He’d also warned me that I could get hurt whenever I push his buttons, and he’d also said that things would be a whole lot worse for me if I ran.  And what did I have to do? I’d pushed his buttons by rolling my eyes when he’d asked me to clean up the milk that he had spilt, and I’d had to try to bolt to the front door when he’d stormed in my direction.  So in a way, logic dictated that if I managed to behave and actually learn to listen once in a while, then everything would be peachy with Vincent._

_I really need to work on myself._

_But still, I felt like I needed some advice on what to do.  This was my first relationship and I  didn’t want to mess it all up because at the end of the day, Vincent was the only guy I could be myself with.  I can’t even begin to describe how relieving that feels.  But still…_

_“Hey, Mom?” I asked as I quietly shuffled my feet into the kitchen, trying to stand with half of my body behind the wall so that she couldn’t see my black eye._

_“Hmm?” she hummed, searching the cabinet for some Triscuits.  “What’s up, Darren?”_

_I couldn’t exactly ask my mom on what to do when my boyfriend loses his temper with me.  I wasn’t supposed to be gay, so I had to make sure to word this very carefully.  “Um, I was wondering if I c-could ask you some questions… about relationship?” I practically whispered._

_My mom paused her search and cocked her eyebrow at me.  “Why, are you dating a girl?” she questioned, looking me up and down._

_I shook my head.  “N-no, um, it’s just that…” I wondered how I could word this.  “…uh, w-we’re reading this book in English and I have to analyze a character’s relationship, but since I’ve never been in one, I’m having a little trouble.  Could you help me out?” That was the perfect excuse.  Even I was aware that my mother has had more relationships than anyone could count.  I’m not saying that she’s a ho, but… yeah._

_“Okay?” my mom muttered, unsure as to why I’d ask her for help with my homework.  I never asked anyone to assist me with anything that had to do with school.  “What’s there to analyze?”_

_“W-well,” I mused, “the main character’s boyfriend beats him, but they love each other.  How do you think they can work past this hard time?”_

_My mom shrugged, grabbing the box of crackers that she usually scarfs down whenever she has her afternoon wine.  “Wait, is this main character a guy too?”_

_“Yes, it’s a very progressive class.”_

_My mom shook her head, opening up the box of Tricuits.  “Darren,” she chuckled, “guys can defend themselves in that kinda situation.  It’s not like the character’s a girl.  So my advice would be to tell him to man up.”_

_“Oh,” I sighed.  “Thanks Mom.”  Wow, she was right.  I really did just need to learn how to behave and suck it up.  I should be able to defend myself against Vincent, and perhaps the best way to do so would be to just do as he says._

_“No problem.”_

**(❁°͈▵°͈)**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

Okay, okay— I can do this!  I can outrun an Alpha werewolf before he bites me and claims me as his mate, which is supposedly slang for “Soulmate”.  Oh my God, why do bad things happen to me?!  And why couldn’t genies have been real instead? If that were the case, my wishes would be: 1). That I would’ve stayed home tonight and had just cut off all contact with Paul on my own, 2). That Vincent and I had never met, and 3). That I had enough money for a Nintendo Switch (they look so cool).

My lungs felt as if they were on fire as I sprinted down the dark dirt path, desperate to outrun Paul who had sneakily decided that the two of us were performing a Mating Run.  I made sure to check my phone as I ran, seeing that it was 11:20 PM, meaning that I had until midnight to evade him.  I frantically turned on the flashlight on my phone, almost dropping the tiny piece of technology as I stumbled over numerous roots that seemed to be on Paul’s side.  I had forty minutes to escape Paul and to avoid getting bitten by him— wait!

If Paul bites me, then would that mean that I’ll turn into a werewolf too? I didn’t want that!  I was already gay, I couldn’t be a gay werewolf!  How could I hide that from my parents?!

All I had to do was keep on moving until I reached the makeshift parking lot where all of the vehicles were located.  Hopefully someone at this weirdo werewolf cult meeting left their car unlocked with the keys conveniently inside as well— one can only hope!  The most important thing is that I keep on moving!  I cannot for any reason stop running or slow down— NO!

I may hate scary movies with a fiery passion, but I’ve seen enough of them to know that a character usually gets axed when they stupidly trip or try to hide, thus stopping their movement.  Nope, that wasn’t going to be me.  I was going to keep running until my heart burst out of my chest.  Already, I could feel it wildly thumping against my skin, practically able to be seen through my sweater.  I pumped my arms as I ran, my shoulders immensely sore from the rigorous movement— why didn’t I ever take PE seriously? If my PE teacher had told me that running the mile in under fourteen minutes would train me to evade capture from a lovesick alpha werewolf, then I probably would’ve practiced my cardio on a daily basis instead of just fake-running whenever he glanced my way.

The forest was incredibly dark, making it virtually impossible for me to see anything in front of me even with my meager phone light.  Trees whooshed by at a fast pace and I contemplated climbing one and hiding out in the canopy for my forty minutes, but I wasn’t sure if werewolves could climb trees or not.  And what would they look like? Would they be the full-canine werewolf where they appeared like an oversized dog, or would they be an anthropomorphic monster with a wolf’s head and a man’s body? Either way, I was screwed without a doubt.  I just had to get away from Paul— there was literally nothing else to say on the matter.  If I was caught, then I’d be torn apart during some monster sex.  No thank you!

I strained my ears, desperate for some kind of indication that Paul was catching up to me. The last thing I’d heard from him was that painful and angry howl that he’d unleashed after I had punched him in the testis— what, I had to think on my feet and that was the first thing that came to mind… not that I frequently think of Paul’s nuts.  Anyways, I couldn’t hear anything except for my gasping breaths and the pounding of my feet on the dirt trail.

Finally the faint glimmer of metal flickered in my eyesight, making me gasp with relief.  I made it to the parking lot!  I flung myself forward, crashing into the nearest car, yanking wildly on its handle.  Locked.  The next one was locked as well, as well as the one after that, and the one after that— does everybody lock and secure their vehicles around here? Were werewolves so conscientious of their personal belongings?

“No!” I whimpered, using all of my body weight to pull on one of the doorhandles on a minivan, but the door remained tightly shut, preventing me from driving out of here.  Maybe if I rode a motorcycle out of here, I could get away.  How hard could it be? I’m not exactly sure how to start one, or if they required keys in order to start (I’ve seen in movies that people usually just kick some kind of lever near one of the wheels, I think), and Paul gave me a lift on his before.  Therefore, maybe riding a motorized bike would be like riding a regular bicycle, I hope.

I scurried over to the smallest motorcycle that I could find: a red one that I supposed would technically be classified as a dirt bike.  I swung one leg over it and before I could press any lever or button, a low whimper sounded out from the nearby bushes.  I froze instantaneously and whipped my head over in the direction of the noise, nearly passing out at the sight of two large wolves slowly crawling out from their hiding spot in the brush.

The largest of the two, a tan one, shook its head from side to side as if it were telling me not to ride the motorcycle— oh my God, these were the werewolves, and apparently they did look like oversized, regular wolves.  And perhaps the scariest notion of all was that it didn’t take a rocket scientist to extrapolate that these werewolves were obviously members of Paul’s pack, and Paul being the alpha, ordered them to keep an eye on me during our Mating Run!  Shouldn’t that count as cheating?

The smaller one, a grayish brown color, raised its muzzle slightly to unleash an earsplitting howl into the nighttime forest.

A deeper, much more menacing howl erupted from the not-too-far distance: Paul.  That cheater!

Hopping off the bike to sprint off in the other direction, I really wanted to give those wolves a piece of my mind, but all that came out was, “You have fleas!”  I don’t know, but I’m assuming it’s an insult to any canine to insinuate that they have parasites on them, right?

Now this meant that I needed a Plan B, which I had no clue as to what it would be.  Maybe if I managed to find my way to the main road, then I could flag down a car and get a ride somewhere and/or get them to call Animal Control because obviously this small town has a serious werewolf infestation.

My phone vibrated in my hand and for a brief moment, I rejoiced in the fact that I was going to get bombarded with text after text from a certain creeper.  I may not be the best judge of character, but I was willing to bet my entire college fund ($46.21, that’s another miserable chapter of my life) that a werewolf was a much bigger threat than an unstable young man… I think.

Refusing to slow down, I continued through the forest, sticking to the dirt road so that I wouldn’t get lost and so that a passing car could see me.  I looked at the shaky screen of my phone, and of course, it was a text from Vincent: _My cars all packed, omw._

Okay, I can’t focus too much on that at the moment, I really needed to get out of the forest and away from Paul.  Then I can put all of my energy into dealing with my psychotic ex-boyfriend.  But maybe the smartest thing to do would be to save him for Plan C.  So instead of calling Vincent, I hurriedly attempted to dial out 911, but was having severe difficulty with my shaky hands and bumpy footing on the uneven road.

A loud bark roared out and my right arm felt something knock into it— it wasn’t rough or forceful, but it had enough power to send my phone flying off into the bushes.

“Wha—?!” I cried out, flinching as soon as a small, unknown wolf wagged its tail as it stared up at me.

“Woof!” it yipped, happily sitting down and erecting its posture with pride.

Paul, that arrogant jerk!  He was utilizing his pack to make it easier to catch me!  Not wanting to waste anymore of my valuable time, I scurried past the annoying werewolf who howled out, signaling my position.  And of course, because life hates me for some reason, Paul’s much deeper and animalistic howl responded, sounding terrifyingly closer than last time.

“Lord, I know I almost never pray,” I panted as I ran through the pitch black forest, “but if You help me out, I swear— I don’t know, we’ll discuss it later!  I-I’ll volunteer at the soup kitchen everyday!”

My toes smashed into a large rock, sending my body flying down onto the hard ground, shoving all of the air out of my lungs.  Groaning, I attempted to jump back up onto my feet, but my legs felt as if they were made of Jell-O and my chest was on fire.  I coughed and tried to regain my breath, slowly propping myself up onto my hands and knees (Man, I hope Paul doesn’t find me in this position).  It was becoming alarmingly obvious that I was nowhere near athletic enough for this run, and that thought seemed to secrete more adrenaline into my limbs, making my fingers tremble as my body urged to not give up.

“Okay,” I whispered to myself, pushing myself up off the ground, nearly screaming out in terror as soon as my back bumped into something large and furry.

At a glacial speed, I looked up towards the night sky, wishing that I’d get another glimpse of the starry sky and full moon.  Unfortunately, I was instead met face-to-face with a large black werewolf.  All I could see was the immense head, but if everything else about him was to scale, then it was apparent that this wolf was much larger than the others that I’ve seen in the forest— Paul!  Of course the alpha male would be the largest and most intimidating werewolf in the pack.

“P-Paul?” I whimpered, my voice strained as I stared up at the man-eating monster.  I’ve never seen werewolves before in my life… I think.  Who knows? Maybe I have ran into them during my lifetime but just had no clue— I mean come on!  Who in their right mind would’ve jumped to the conclusion that the Crescent City Cult was really the Crescent City Pack?

The Alpha nodded its giant head, its massive muzzle opening up slowly to reveal rows of dagger-like teeth that were meant to bite me.  

I lost.

I could’ve screamed, I could’ve crawled, shoot, there were a lot of things that I could have done in order to evade Paul’s jagged jaws.  But instead of reacting in an intelligent fashion, I froze, my wide eyes honing in on the werewolf teeth that seemed to be a long as pencils.

“…eh…” I croaked out, all of the air and saliva disappearing from my mouth, rendering me mute.

Paul’s yellow eyes locked in on mine, and he seemingly smirked at me as he clamped his mouth down over my left shoulder.  Then he closed down, biting my skin through my sweater, making me cry out as a searing burn rippled throughout my arm.  And that was it— my fate was sealed.  Paul had caught me and I was now his frickin’ property, and I don’t even think that I’d lasted ten minutes.  As soon as it had started, the bite ended as Paul quickly retracted his head.  The large, black wolf that hovered over my crippled body shifted and gradually morphed back into naked Human-Paul who crouched over me with a wide and cocky smirk glued onto his face.

“Caught ya,” he grinned down at me, his eyes still wolfish yellow and his full lips stained red from my blood that’d seeped from my wound.  His animalistic eyes darted towards my bite mark that was staining and ruining my sweater, and he frowned for a bit.  “Here, let Daddy clean that, Baby.”

My voice refused to cooperate.  There was so much that I wanted to say/ask: Was I going to be a werewolf now that I was bitten? Why did I have to be bitten? Did Paul have any Neosporin for my wound? Instead, I was silent, my mind racing a thousand miles a minute while my body was virtually comatose.

And perhaps the most pressing thought on my brain was that I’d lost.  I was caught… how disappointing.

Paul, silent but still grinning like he’d won millions of dollars or a lifetime supply of cheeseburgers, grabbed a strong hold of me and positioned me in his lap as if I were a rag doll.  With one arm secured around my shivering waist, Paul tugged on the collar of my sweater to reveal my bite mark that was oozing out blood, making me feel a little light-headed the more I stared at it.  He leaned down and began to lap at the bite mark with his wide tongue, sending stinging sensations all throughout my shoulder, making me flinch.

“I know it hurts now, Baby,” Paul cooed, stopping for a brief second and slowly swaying us from side to side, “but I need to clean this up.”  He licked at it some more, the pain falling from stabbing to a dull throb.

“Huh?” I wondered, opening my eyes back up to see what kind of numbing medication Paul was applying to my wound.  Or maybe my adrenaline was still in high gear? However, as soon as I laid my eyes back onto my bite mark, I nearly passed out from shock to see that it was no longer bleeding or had even scabbed over.  No, instead it looked like a scar in the form of a demented animal attack from years past, not just seconds ago.  What kind of werewolf voodoo was this?

“Amazing, right?” Paul smiled, snapping me out of my shocked haze.  “Ya see that? That just goes to show how good I can take care of my baby.”

My brain refused to slow down, prohibiting me from being able to say anything or focus on a single detail at the moment.  All that I seemed to be able to concentrate on was the fact that I had lost, that an alpha werewolf had just claimed me as his mate.  Now what? Therefore, I allowed my body to go lax as Paul stood up, lifting me into his arms as he carried me bridal-style through the dark woods.  He was still naked and I cringed when he tightened his grip on me, forcing my head to rest against his chiseled chest.

Paul mock-frowned down at me.  “Aww, don’t pout, Baby,” he teased, “you should be happy that Daddy found you and not some vamp.”  Vampires are really too?!  Oh God…  Oblivious to my freak out over having the existence of bedtime monsters revealed to me, Paul threw back his head and unleashed a loud and victorious howl.

Numerous other howls sounded out from the forest, some sounding far away and others eerily close by.  There was even some audible cheering and clapping from members of the Pack… did that mean that there were humans?

Paul carried me back into the clearing where we had started and it really bummed me out to discover that we made it back in a really short amount of time.  Wow, I really didn’t run fast or get very far.  The other members of Paul’s pack filed into the clearing, some in their wolf forms and others still looking like a regular person.  When they all noticed that I was in Paul’s arms with a large scar on my left shoulder, their smiles grew and they looked at their alpha with sincere admiration.  Those jerks were happy that he caught me!

“Congratulations, Alpha,” Justin nodded, keeping his arm secured around Ronnie’s shoulders.

Ronnie, completely unaware of the reality regarding my horrifying situation, flashed me two thumbs up.

Paul, still wearing that zealous smile, puffed out his chest and cradled me tighter to him.  “Attention!” he roared in a bass-filled voice full of power, all eyes on him in a short matter of seconds.  “Officially, this is my mate, Darren Estrada!  He is a student at Crescent City High and I expect you all to keep an eye out on him and help him out as he adjusts to the Pack!  Understood?” The way Paul spoke to the small audience around us was so full of authority and so domineering that I couldn’t help but sink lower into his hold.  And what creeped me out the most was that Paul had seemingly just ordered his pack to watch over me as I lived my pathetic life here in Crescent City.

“Yes, Alpha,” the crowd said in semi-unison.

“And with that, this Mating Run is finished!”

My heart sank.  So not only was I supposed to avoid a psycho ex-boyfriend while trying to appear heterosexual in front of my family, but now I was supposed to discover a way to cope with being an alpha werewolf’s mate.  Okay, and how on earth could I pull that off?!  There’s still so much to the whole title of “Mate” that I do not even remotely understand.  I’m so screwed, and worst of all…  

“C’mon, Baby,” Paul cooed at me, nuzzling me as he spoke, “let’s go home.”  Flashbacks of Paul saying that he was going to, *ahem, spend a majority of the night with his thingy up my behind played in my head, making me wheeze.

“Um, you mean you’re going to drive me to my house?” I cheekily asked despite knowing very well what Paul had intended.

Paul narrowed his still-yellow eyes down at me.  “Technically, yes,” he smirked back.  “But we’ll discuss that later tonight, after I knot you.”

“After you what?” I coughed, swishing my tongue around in my mouth so that I could speak better.  Great, more cryptic terminology that only I was on the outside of, given as how Ronnie whooped behind us.

Paul blushed, the orangish glow of the dying campfire highlighting his reddening cheeks.  “Oh yeah, uh,” he stammered, his smirk completely gone as he struggled to form a coherent sentence, ”I th-think it’s better that we discuss that at home.”  Was he referring to his decrepit apartment as my home?

Again, my brain proved useless as I was unable to think up a sensible way out of this predicament.  Ideas from faking a heart attack to trying to run all over again flickered by, but each and every imaginary outcome ended with me being caught by Paul again.

The alpha werewolf lumbered forward, refusing to let me down onto my feet— but that was probably for the best since I was in so much shock that I doubted if my legs could even carry me.  He carried me back down the path among the other werewolves in the pack, some of the younger ones looking up at me with wide and bewildered eyes.  They whispered among each other, some even pointing at the blood on my sweater, making me blush myself.  I really hated to be the center of attention, even more so since I was being carried through a forest in a naked man’s arms.

“Alpha!” one of them piped up in a small voice.  “Is he your mate?”

Paul glanced down at them and a parental smile, one that was warm and comforting, formed on his lower face.  “Yes, Pup,” he said in a gentle voice, “but Alpha Mate is tired, so you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to him.”

The younger wolf frowned and nodded.  “Oh, okay,” he huffed.  “Goodnight then, Alpha.”  He then turned to me, his eyes full of respect and curiosity.  “Goodnight, Alpha Mate.”  Then he scampered off to join the rest of his small clique.

Paul chuckled to himself.  “You better get used to that,” he smiled down at my paling face, “every wolf in the pack will be wanting to meet you.  But tonight is just going to be you and me, Baby.”

Before I could get a word out, a preteen boy who was plagued with acne, dashed up to us, clutching something in his hands.  “Alpha Mate!” he called out, evidently referring to me.  I was so lost…

Paul paused and turned around to look at him, thereby turning me as well.

The boy stopped in front of us, holding out his hand.  “I hunted down your phone,” he panted, trying to catch his breath from his running.  “Sorry about earlier when I had to swipe it out of your hands.”

So he’s the jerk who prevented me from calling the police!  Well, now that I have my phone back, I can easily call whoever I need to in order to get myself out of this sticky situation.  I don’t know exactly what a werewolf’s mate is, and I’m pretty sure that I do not want to.  Paul had just frickin’ chased me through the forest and bit me so that he could mark me with some sort of possessive scar to show that I was his.  There’s no way that I want anything to do with this sort of relationship, and as soon as I get the chance, I need to bounce.  A.S.A.P.  It’s only logical seeing as how Hollywood and bedtime stories all warn children of the dangers of werewolves, so why would I want to be anywhere near one?

“Oh, and you’ve been getting lots of calls and texts from someone named Vincent,” the wolf continued, making my heart fall to the dirt-covered ground.  “I didn’t mean to look, I swear.  I was trying to silence the ringer but I pressed the wrong button.  Anyways, I don’t mean to pry, Alpha Mate, but he seems like an ass.”

This was too much to handle right now.  First, I was still trying to sort out what the hell was going on with Paul, the alpha werewolf.  And now I was forced to deal with Vincent the crazy human… but at least he was human, right? That counted as a point in his favor I suppose.

Paul tensed up and I didn’t need to look up at his face to tell that he was intrigued by what his pack brother was saying.  “Oh?” he mused, his voice going low and menacing, obviously pissed about there being some other dude texting me.  He quickly snatched the phone from the guy’s hand, his yellow eyes narrowing as he scanned through the multiple and threatening messages that Vincent had sent me throughout the week.  Yeah, my bad— I should’ve just deleted everything or changed my number… maybe I’m not as smart as I think I am.

A low snarl erupted from Paul’s chest, his entire body shaking with fury as he continued to glance at the glowing screen on my phone.

The other werewolf furrowed his eyebrows and looked at me apologetically, afraid to mutter something while Paul was in such a furious mood.

Paul’s hand tightened on my phone, shattering the cheap piece of technology into dozens of tiny pieces, the sounds of short-circuiting accompanying the crunching.  The bits of my phone tumbled down onto the path below, Paul baring his massive and sharp teeth as he tried to calm himself down.  “Who?” Paul snarled, his yellow eyes boring into my skull; and I knew that in reality by the tone of his voice that he was asking two questions to me: The first due to the softness that was hidden beneath the ferocious growling was asking me, “Who is talking to you like this, Baby?”  And the second, thanks to the overpowering and animalistic rage in the forefront of his emotions, I knew without a doubt that he was asking, “Whose ass do I have to kick?”

And because I was both terrified at the thought of seeing an alpha werewolf mad, and I was scared at being in an alpha werewolf’s embrace, I shrugged.  “I d-dunno,” I muttered, going so far as to shake my head pathetically.

Paul didn’t buy it.  “Okay then,” he growled, “I can tell that there’s a lot I need to teach you about being a mate.  So once we get home, we’re going to go over each and every single rule before I knot you, got it?”

“I-I still don’t know what knot means,” I admitted.  “And m-my stepdad wanted me home before midnight, so…”  Yeah, I lied.  In all honestly, Jonathan never even gave me a curfew for tonight, although I had that regular one.  In fact, in a weird way, he seemed a little smug about me going out with Paul tonight, almost as if he were in the know about what would go on.  But no, there’s no way he’d set me up like that.

Again, Paul frowned down at me, his face going hard as he saw right through my lie.  “Well, Baby,” he said slowly, his smirk making another comeback as he spoke, “perhaps the first rule you should know is that, since I caught you fair and square, that means you’re mine.”

The blood drained from my face as Paul’s words sank in.

“”You’re all mine, Darren.  That being said, I’ll just have to have a little chat with Johnny to make sure that he understands that too.”  Paul started to walk again, and all I could think of was how my life was now officially over: the cat was out of the bag with Vincent and Paul would ruin things about that with his talk to Jonathan, thus outing me and getting me kicked out of the house.  Oh, and that’s not even the best part, oh no.  Paul was an alpha werewolf who was convinced that, because he managed to chase me down in a dark forest, I belonged to him.

Well, he’s got another thing coming.

 


	16. Stay Awake

****“Stay Awake” - Madeon Feat. Ellie Goulding

_Take my faith in your hands / We have a lot that hasn’t even begun / Something is calling us / We’re breaking free / I’m curious / I need to see_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

This sucked butt.  
 ****

Not only had I been practically stalked around town by Paul Martinez, but evidently he was also an alpha werewolf who had chosen me to be his mate.  That of course resulted in him chasing me through the dark forest, only to bite me so that he could put some kind of property-stamp scar on my shoulder to show that I was his.  If someone had told me earlier that this kind of weird stuff would happen to me when I arrived in Crescent City, then I would’ve tried to get emancipated or something.  Seriously, how could this get any worse?!

Ellie had driven Paul and me back to the giant apartment complex that apparently housed dozens of werewolves.  And evidently, Ellie was a werewolf too seeing as how she’s Paul’s sister.  At this point, I had no clue who was human and who was a werewolf.  Shoot, I’d just been bitten by an alpha werewolf, so did that mean that I’d turn into one by night’s end? That thought sent my heart into overdrive, making me wheeze and tremble in my seat.

And that stupid bite mark on my shoulder radiated a searing heat, making me shudder each and every time Ellie took a sharp turn and Paul’s nude body jostled against me.  What was happening? And why was the heater on full blast in this tiny car? I was beginning to sweat bullets, having to fan myself.

“Is he going to be alright?” Ellie asked as she pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex.

Paul nodded, his arm resting over my small shoulders in the cramped backseat.  He was still naked, allowing me to get a full view of his junk that was… um, aesthetically pleasing.  “Don’t worry,” he said, “I’ll take good care of my baby.”  His heavy arm only increased my internal temperature, making life unbearable!

Ellie knitted her eyebrows together as she looked at me through the rearview mirror.  “Okay,” she muttered, sounding unconvinced, “‘cause he looks rather flushed… kinda like how you get when you’re overheated…”

“Ellie!” Paul growled… like legitimately growled like a threatening dog.  The rumbling sent tremors throughout his buff body, further making me shake even more.  I was so screwed.  A-and… has he always been that built? I’ve seen Paul shirtless before and I hadn’t exactly minded the sight.  However now, my brain was becoming increasingly aware of just how defined his muscles were as we were in close quarters.  Call me crazy, but it appeared as if his biceps bulged even larger than before.  It was so hot… um, I mean it was interesting.

I had to be going through shock.  That was the only explanation.  I’d just been chased through the forest by an alpha werewolf for God’s sake.  My human brain had no clue how to process such information in a clear, concise manner.  Hence, that was why it was trying to search for good things to notice about Paul— his muscles, his thick lips, his anaconda… um, it had to be some sort of Stockholm Syndrome effect.  Only that could be the root of my shaking form along with the boner that was forming in my jeans.

His sister pursed her lips and pulled into a parking spot near the front of the complex.  “Just be gentle with him, Paul,” she stated, giving him a stern look, “he looks terrified right now.  Talk before you try anything.”

“I got it,” Paul snorted, waving his large hand at her.  “I think I know how to take care of my mate.”  He opened up the door and scooted out of the car, holding out a hand to help me.

I hesitated, nervously glancing around the small parking lot.  There were a couple of other cars in the lot, letting me know that there were other werewolves here now.  Also there didn’t seem to be any traffic out on the road, meaning that there wasn’t anybody I could run to, screaming for help.  I didn’t want to go inside Paul’s apartment again because I knew for some inane reason that the second that door shuts behind me, I’ll be trapped in this life tied to a werewolf.  I don’t think that’s healthy.

Paul was quick to notice my reluctance.  “Baby,” he cooed, crouching down so that he was eye-level with me, “I know that this is a lot to take in right now.  And I know that things may seem scary, but that’s just ‘cause I haven’t explained everything yet.  So let’s go inside and we’ll sit down, and Daddy will answer each and every question his baby has.  Deal?”

Oh boy, an interview with a werewolf.  How fun…  Despite my obvious dislike of the sole option that was presented to me, I knew that it was useless to run since Paul could easily catch me.  And I didn’t have a phone anymore thanks to Paul again (I was horrendous at mentally memorizing phone numbers too).  Therefore, unless I wanted to be chased down again, I figured that it was best to just give in now and figure out a game plan later.  Just bide my time, that’s all I have to do right now.

“O-okay,” I choked out, my throat extremely dry from my excessive worrying and my past sprinting.  Slowly, I reached out a tentative and shaky hand, taking a loose grip of Paul’s much larger one.  As soon as there was skin-to-skin contact, a ripple of electricity shot through my digits, making me recoil out of instinct.

A smile formed on Paul’s face and he perked up.  “Great!” he cheered, reaching forward and helping me up onto my unsteady feet.  However, my legs still felt like they were made of gelatin and I wobbled on my first step.  Therefore, Paul quickly lifted me up into his arms with ease, carrying me up the steps and into his apartment.  I’d been under the impression that as soon as I’d be out of the overheated vehicle, I’d instantly cool off.  However, I was completely wrong.  Instead, as soon as I was in the werewolf’s arms and under the light of the full moon that crept through the thick clouds, I swear the temperature outside leapt upwards by thirty degrees.  

Paul seemed to notice what was going on, smirking to himself as he saw me wipe some beading sweat off from my forehead.  The second we were inside his place and I heard the door shut behind us, my stomach fell and my conscience called me an idiot.

The giant laid me down on the couch so that I was comfortably propped up.  Then he then took a seat on the coffee table… I’m going to have to remember not to eat off of that table again if I can help it.  He rubbed at his face for a second, taking in a deep breath.

“I, uh, I’m not quite sure where to start,” he admitted, his face blushing the smallest bit as he peeked out at me from behind his fingers.  “Baby, d-do you have any questions right now?”

Tons.  Millions.  And of course, due to my increased state of panic, I was unable to form a single word.  I knew that any normal person would be freaking out, running their mouth at one-hundred miles a second or trying to go crazy on their semi-captor.  However, whenever I was in a frenzied state of mind, my body always locked up, making me freeze in place and go deathly silent.  It sucked.

Although there was one question that managed to shove its way upfront and center.  “C-can you turn on the A/C?” I panted, tugging at my sweater’s collar which was drenched in sweat.

“No one has A/C in Northern California, Baby,” Paul chuckled, removing his hands to give me a sheepish smile.  “Also, I suppose I should apologize for breaking your phone.  It’s… it’s just that the thought of someone threatening my baby…”  His eyes flashed a demonic yellow again and a low growl erupted from his massive chest as he bared his fangs.

It was terrifying, and I sank lower into the couch in a pathetic attempt to look smaller.  But despite the fear that rocked my center, my groin still felt that irritating and awkward pressure, my dick scraping against my zipper.

Paul flinched and stopped sounding like a ferocious dog as soon as I looked afraid.  “I’m sorry, Baby!” he rushed, leaning forward and placing a warm hand on my shoulder, shooting that familiar bolt of lightening throughout my body again.  “This is all new to me too, ‘kay? So that’s why my sister gave me a list of things that humans usually ask whenever they’re deemed to be a werewolf’s mate.”

I slowly nodded as Paul got up from his seat on the coffee table, heading over to a pile of papers that were scattered on his kitchen table.  He shuffled through them before finding a wrinkled up piece of notebook paper with bubblegum pink gel pen writing in very curvy letters.  

“Here it is,” he grinned, glancing at it.  “Ellie’s mate is a human— he works nights so that’s why he wasn’t there at the Run— so she wrote down some questions that I can answer for you.”  

There was one huge question on my mind that seemed to make my anxiety grow larger and larger with each dull throb from my bite on my shoulder.  “A-am I going to turn into a werewolf?” I piped up, my voice cracking like a kid going through puberty.  “‘Cause you bit me?”

Paul snickered to himself.  “Damn, that’s the first question on here,” he chuckled as he shook his head.  “No, Baby.  You’re either born one or bitten with the intent to turn.  I bit you to claim…”  He paused and eyed me up and down, chewing on his lower lip.  “…must be recessive in you…”  I didn’t quite catch what he muttered that last time, but all I heard was that I wasn’t going to turn into a werewolf, which surprisingly helped calm my nerves by an exorbitant amount; but it did absolutely nothing to quench my sweltering fever.  

Seriously though, this had to be the worst fever that I’d ever experienced!  In the past whenever I’d caught the flu, my fevers always brought on the chills, making me feel as if I were stranded on Antartica twenty-four/seven.  Meanwhile, this new form of fever made me feel as if I were wandering the Sahara Desert, and Paul was the sun casting out heat rays that made thermometers burst.

I unleashed a loud sigh of relief that I didn’t even know that I’d been holding in.  “Thank you, Jesus,” I breathed, rolling my head back on the couch cushion, thankful that I wouldn’t turn into a monster every full moon.  That was one less problem that I didn’t have to excessively worry about.  So now that meant that instead of having a million things to fret over on a daily basis, I now only had nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine-hundred ninety nine things to be afraid of.  Progress.

Paul rolled his eyes as he continued to scan over the paper.  “These questions are stupid,” he muttered.  “Seriously, she wrote down, ‘What’s your favorite color?’ How is that supposed to help me?” He crumbled up the paper and tossed it behind him, crossing his beefy arms in front of his chiseled chest.  “Um, but what is your favorite color? I’m just curious.”

I-I really didn’t want to waste any valuable time discussing colors or trivial hobbies and tastes.  I was just chased through the forest by an alpha werewolf who claimed to be in love with me… and who insisted that I call him “Daddy”.  How is anyone supposed to mentally process that while mentioning that their favorite color is purple? Plus, to add to my trepidation, I must’ve contracted the Bubonic Plague (I’ve read that that’d spread through fleas) or something— this fever was destroying me, making me wince as my gut shuddered with a stabbing pain.

“Baby?” Paul asked, cocking his eyebrow.  “Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”  He placed the backside of his hand on my forehead, his yellow eyes widening as he took my temperature.  “Oh shit.”

“Wh-what’s wrong?” I gasped, fumbling with my soaking sweater as I attempted to peel it off my heat-ridden body.  I tore it away from me, tossing it onto the werewolf’s living room floor, feeling barely any relief… but that was the only article that I was going to shed while in Paul’s presence.  But the sheer thought of being nude in that masculine man’s presence was a bit titillating— oh God!  What’s wrong with me? Have I lost my mind? Is this what Rabies feels like?

My body and brain were simultaneously assaulted with some unknown and addling heat stroke that was being crossed with an increase in libido— and that latter symptom being fueled by the older man in front of me.  Everything about him seemed to lure me in, like he was a glimmering light at the end of a dark tunnel, I was pulled forward by some instinctual presence.  And said presence, despite the horror that the rational part of me screamed that I should be feeling at my circumstances, noted the attractive size of Paul’s round and popping muscles.  It noticed the only way his stubble covered the lower portion of his face, framing his full lips.  And it seemed to stare at how Paul’s own cock was beginning to inflate just like mine… but he of course was much, much larger.  

This shouldn’t be happening!  I shouldn’t be getting all hot and bothered by some frickin’ werewolf who had just bit me!  Where’s my self-respect, or did I lose that in the forest while I was running?

This heat was growing unbearable, making me grit my teeth as the pain in my gut seemed to amplify at the sight of the werewolf’s hardening member.

“Baby,” Paul cooed, his deep voice making the heat spike, “I, uh, there’s a lot that I really need to explain to you right now, so I’ll give you a short summary, ‘kay?”

Unable to formulate any kind of sentence, I just nodded.

The older werewolf moved over to the couch, sitting down right next to me, propping my legs up onto his nude lap.  Had I been in a coherent, right state of mind, I would have cringed and attempted to berate him for rubbing his boner all over my shins.  However, my heat continued to creep up to an impossible degree at the slightest touch from him.

“Obviously, I’m a werewolf,” Paul said, looking flushed himself as he ran his eyes up and down my sweating form, “a-and, *gulp, with that comes heightened senses and an instinct that’s much stronger than that of a human’s, understand?  With th-that comes the fact that werewolves are able to detect their soulmate on the spot, an ability limited to just us and bloodsuckers—”

“V-vampires?” I gulped, feeling a little wobbly.  Dang, of course the time my family decides to move, it’s to a region where monsters exist.  I should’ve stayed back in Texas with Mom.  My hands trembled, both from the frightening unveiling of vampires and from the tantalizing way my cock was nearly at full-mast, painfully confined within my denim jeans.

Paul snorted, chuckling to himself.  “Your Daddy’s an Alpha,” he smirked, leaning towards me as he flexed an incredibly large bicep… and I’m officially all the way hard, “any vamp, werewolf, or human would have a serious death wish if they try to fuck with you.”

Perhaps I should keep Vincent and Jonathan’s whereabouts a secret if I don’t want their blood on my hands…

“‘Cause,” Paul continued, “a mate is a wolf’s reason for living.  There’s an uncontrollable and unbreakable bond that’s formed.  Wh-what I’m trying to say, Baby, is that I am in love with you— and it’s not because of some werewolf magic or any story-time voodoo.  It’s because you and I were made for each other, and now we finally have each other.”

I… I’m not really sure how to respond.  Sure Paul was saying all of this candy-coated nonsense about love and soulmates, but I’ve been told by Vincent that he loved me.  Shoot, even Jonathan had said that he loved me whenever my mom would tell him to.  Love’s pretty much just a word.

Paul took a deep breath, chewing on his lower lip as his yellow eyes refused to leave my heated body.  “And that brings me to something else,” he mumbled.  “Since you’re human, your instincts are less… evolved.  That’s why you don’t feel the bond, mentally.  But your body knows it’s mine, so that’s why you’re going through heat.”

“Huh?” I whined, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand.  Back in El Paso, my neighbor’s dog had gone through heat every now and then, and it’d attracted several strays to our block, creating some grotesque dog orgy.  Why was this happening to me?!

Paul nervously chuckled, running his thick hand thorough his black hair.  “Well, when I marked you,” he explained in a shaky voice, “it awakened some of your body’s responses.  And while your mind may not understand what’s going on, your body’s ready to be claimed… which brings me to the subject of ‘Knotting’.”  He swallowed loudly, his other hand resting on my leg as he spoke, his fingers involuntarily twitching every few seconds.  “Th-that’s when we make love and— oh crap, how do I explain this? Um, I enter you and since I’m a werewolf, m-my, uh, penis bloats up more than a human’s and it secures you to me so that your body can absorb all of my cum.”  The man’s face was redder than a firetruck at the end of his synopsis, but he was rock hard, his fully erect dick sticking straight up into the air… there’s no way that big thing will fit inside little me.

And I’m sure I was deathly white.

“D-do you have any questions for me, Baby?” he blushed.

I had dozens of questions.  “I— But, what…  Huh?” was all I managed to get out, the room spinning and my temperature climbing to obscene heights.  I really needed to get it down, but it seemed that only extinguisher available shot out something besides foam.

“Yeah, I know that it’s a lot to throw at you all at once, but I wouldn’t be a good mate if I didn’t explain everything to you.  And just remember that this is all new to me as well, Darren.”  Paul placed his large hand down my shoulder, making me shudder.  “I mean, one morning I wake up and I’m a bachelor with no cares in the world, and then I see you walking to school and in that instant, you became the center of my whole universe.  I love you, Baby, will all my heart.  And I’d be a shitty Daddy if I pushed you into knotting.”  He swallowed hard again, clenching his jaw.  “So… if you don’t want to, we won’t knot tonight.  But just know that if that’s the case, I have to find another way to bring your fever down.”

“What other way?” I panted, feeling relieved that there was another cure besides cock.  Seriously, sex with Vincent was nothing but painful, so why would I want to undergo that same experience, but with a dick that’s supposed to be bigger than an average human’s? And for the record, just by looking at it, it was safe to assume that Paul had more than two inches on my ex.

Paul sighed, his shoulders dropping.  “Well, let’s go soak you in the tub,” he groaned, gently brushing my stiff legs off of him as he got up and stalked over to the bathroom, his erection bobbing in front of his as he moved.  “Maybe some cold water will help you out?”

That did sound like a good idea, to be honest.  Maybe Paul could toss in a few ice cubes as well.  Slowly, I struggled to get up off the couch so that I could follow the man into the bathroom.  Unfortunately, my heat was making the simple act of moving extremely difficult as my muscles felt like they were being burnt to ashes, rendering me weak.  I managed to get one foot onto the floor, followed by another one.  But as soon as I was standing, my stomach lurched, making me double over in pain as my body collapsed onto the hard ground.  The air rushed out of my lungs and I pathetically allowed my face to rest on the carpet that desperately needed to be vacuumed.

“Aww, fudge,” I cursed at my horrendous luck… and yes, I did say “Fudge”, not the other word. 

“Fuck!” I heard Paul hiss as his heavy footsteps sprinted over to me.  He dropped down to his knees at my side, yanking my hindered body up to his strong, chiseled, manly… uh, his chest… wow, I suck.  So apparently all it takes for me to have a completely different view of someone was for them to bite me.  That’s nice to know.  “Baby? What happened? You should’ve waited for Daddy to carry you.”  He nuzzled me as he held me, deeply inhaling my scent as well.

“I-I can do it,” I mumbled, although I knew that I was lying through my teeth.  There was no way that I could stand up while I was cursed with this heat, but I didn’t want to have to rely on a complete stranger who’d chased me through the woods for help.  I had to maintain what little dignity that I had left, even if doing so would result in me having to crawl all the way to the darn bathroom.

Paul frowned.  “Yes, I believe you probably could, Baby,” he sighed, standing up while keeping me in his tight hold.  “But for now, Daddy wants to take care of his baby.  So let me.”

“S-seriously, Paul,” I protested, squirming the smallest bit in his hold.  But all that my moving around served to do was cause my face to rub up against his defined pecs, his light chest hair scratching my cheek.  “I can do it myself.”

Again, Paul deeply sighed and refused to let me out of his hold.  “Really, Darren,” he said as he shook his head, “I don’t know who hurt you in the past, but I know that it must’ve been bad for you to have these walls up.”  We entered the bathroom and he crouched down by the tub so that he could turn on the cold water and push down the plug, all the while keeping me cradled to him.  

I was silent as Paul pegged me to a T, trying not to make eye contact out of embarrassment.

“But,” he pressed on, “whoever it was is seriously fuckin’ stupid, and probably just some boy who has no idea how to treat an angel.”  Paul gently placed his fingers on my chin, positioning my head so that I could look at his golden eyes.  “But that’s not me, okay? I’m your Daddy, and you’re my so— uh, _Baby_.  I will never hurt you like they did.  As your Daddy and your Alpha, I swear that your safety and happiness will always be my number one priorities.”

Although Vincent had never said anything like that verbatim, he’d frequently told me that he would never hurt me… again.  Therefore, thanks to my past experiences, I wasn’t so keen on believing the werewolf.

Paul’s face fell at my silence and he nodded to himself.  “I’ll just have to prove it to you then,” he sighed.  He turned off the bathwater, nodding down at it.  “S’ready.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, trying to wiggle out of his hold again, but he still wouldn’t let me down.

“Um, d-did you— or, would you like any help, Baby?” Paul cheekily asked, licking his lips in anticipation.

As if I’d take off my clothes with him around!  “I think I can manage,” I murmured.  “Um, thanks for the bath.”

“Of course,” Paul breathed, gently setting me down on the lip of the tub before standing… his crazy height and me sitting down resulting in having his boner waving directly in front of my face.  “Just holler if you need me, ‘kay?”

“Sure.”

After taking one last glance at me, Paul exited the bathroom, actually closing the door shut behind him to give me some privacy.  Wow, that was completely unexpected to be honest.  I mean, in the past whenever Vincent had told me that he’d do something… well, yeah, he usually did the opposite every single time— except for the times when he’d warned me that he’d beat me up for acting out.  And I knew that it was just one occurrence with Paul actually doing what I wanted, so I wasn’t going to allow it to cloud my judgement.

I stripped out of my clothes, finding it hyperbolically ironic that I was going to be taking another much needed bath in Paul’s apartment in order to rectify a temperature issue I was having.  Nevertheless, once I was completely nude, I eagerly crawled (or flung myself) into the bathtub, half-expecting the water to sizzle as soon as my skin touched it, like a frying pan straight from the hot stove top being put into the sink.

The water did absolutely nothing to help me.  I knew that it was cold since there was no steam on the mirror, but my overheated body behaved like a heated coil, bringing the bath’s temperature up with it.  This was terrible!  I was even sweating while taking a frickin’ bath!  And my stomach was killing me!  And, and my unwanted boner was sticking up into the air, begging for attention.

Of course because I seemed to be the most unlucky person on the face of the planet, that last symptom was obviously the most pressing.  I was so horny, plain and simple.  My agony was only pushed closer to the edge over the fact that Paul, despite my better judgement, was the reason for my newfound libido.  I hated myself for how my body was reacting towards the werewolf who had hunted me down less than an hour ago— this was so not the way regular people cope with this sort of thing.  I don’t know if there’s a Werewolf’s Mate Anonymous at the local library or not, but if I share there and find out that I’m the only person who felt immediately sexually attracted to the wolf who hunted them, then I’ll have to run off and legally change my name.

Regardless of the fact that I was boiling in the bathtub (Paul could’ve sliced up some carrots and potatoes and made some sort of loser stew), my mind traveled back to what Paul had mentioned about me being his mate.  So apparently being a werewolf allowed him to uncover the fact that were “Soulmates”— what a load of bologna!  My ex-boyfriend had told me time and time again that he and I were soulmates and that we’d belonged together.  And look how that had turned out!  I do not believe in soulmates or fate anymore.

But on the other hand, the heat that I was succumbing to made my brain reflect (again…) on how defined Paul’s muscles were, how he was able to lift me up into his arms without straining, how he completely dwarfed me… he was hot and that turned me on, making my cock spasm and the pain in my gut drive forward.

This is terrible.  The bath was a nice try, but it didn’t work at all.  I was boiling, my brain being poached inside my horny and confused skull.  I was afraid of Paul because he was werewolf, but I was so insanely attracted to him due to this full moon spell that I was under— there was only one answer.  

No!  I can’t give in so easily!  I have morals and I’m a person of great upstanding (in my dreams).  Vincent had bedded me not too long into our relationship, but we were in a relationship— he’d been my boyfriend.  Paul, meanwhile, was nothing to me and there was no sort of connection between us on my end.  He may have claimed to be in love with me and all of that jazz, but based on his previous explanation, I was able to infer that I was undergoing this heat because of the full moon.  Either way, once the night was over or once Paul, *ahem, knotted me then the curse would be lifted, right? It made sense in my head.  

Those were my options: Wait it out for several more hours, or get it done and over with with the Adonis in the next room.  Hmm…

“Paul!” I coughed, throwing my head back on the linoleum tub as I resigned myself to my fate.  It was just one night.  Vincent only lasted five minutes at most, I could lie back and bide my time for five minutes while a werewolf busted my butt open.

As if he’d been waited on the other side of the door, Paul barged into the restroom in under a second.  “Yes, Baby?” he eagerly smiled down at me, his canines poking out over his lip.  “Did the bath help?”

Since I was lying on my back in the bathtub, I couldn’t see my reflection in the mirror, but I’m willing to bet that my face was beyond red— an entirely different color on its own as my humiliation seemed to rocket off the spectrum of emotions.  “Um,” I whispered, sinking lower and lower into the water in a sad attempt to hide my shame, “I have some conditions.”

A sly smirk formed on Paul’s face as he nodded to himself, crossing his strong arms in front of him.  “Don’t you worry about a thing, Baby,” he grinned, “‘cause your Daddy’s gonna make this a night to remember.”

So thanks to the bite that I’d received in the woods during the full moon, my body was apparently craving Paul’s dick.  Regardless of how my rational mind argued against it, my body seemed to have a will of its own, my mouth watering as I stared up at the naked and erect alpha.

“S-so,” I mumbled, “may we go over my conditions?”

I swear Paul’s cock did a leap of joy as realization dawned on him.  “Okay!” he nodded, snatching a towel off the rack and yanking the plug out of the bathtub drain.

I just— I couldn’t bear this heat anymore.  Also, I wasn’t too proud to admit that had Paul been human, and not old enough to be my dad, and not some creeper who’d followed me around town, then I might’ve dated him had we met later on in the future once I was living on my own and was out of the closet.  Plus, if anyone ever confronts me on my idiotic choice, then I can just counter it with the fact that I was under the influence of the full moon— it’s a very potent drug apparently.

“N-no one can know,” I whimpered as Paul helped me up to my feet, wrapping the towel around my soaked frame.  He continued to dab and gently run the cloth over my skin, drying me off as if I were some child incapable of doing so myself.  And despite the irritation that I should’ve felt, I was so turned on by having the bad boy of Crescent City doting over me.

Paul snorted, rolling his yellow eyes.  “Baby, what happens in our bedroom is our business only,” he said as if it were general knowledge.  “And besides that, it’s obvious that you’re not ready to come out, so I’ve already instructed the pack to keep us on the down low when non-members are present.”

“I-I’m not…” I tried to say that I wasn’t gay again, but I was literally naked in a bathroom with a naked man going over specifics that would later lead to sex.  I’m pretty sure my cover’s blown with Paul.  

“It’s okay, Baby,” Paul cooed, running his large thumb over my cheek, his skin leaving a fiery, tingly trail behind it.  “I won’t judge you, the pack won’t judge you.  And if some idiot out there tries to give you a hard time, then they’ll have to deal with Daddy.”  His face looked serious as he added that last part, even sending a shiver down my spine.

I was speechless for the first part.  I knew that it was a pretty loosely-kept secret that was mainly meant to be hidden from Jonathan and Mom, but the fact that Paul was in the know about my sexually, I felt so incredibly vulnerable in front of him— more so than being nude.  “P-please,” I whimpered, my voice a faint scratch as I’d tried to beg him again not to tell anyone.  “You c-can’t—”

Paul childishly held up his right hand.  “I won’t tell a soul,” he grinned.  “Scout’s honor.”

Even I had to chuckle at that, or maybe my brain was fried by now and the delirium was setting in.

“Holy shit,” Paul mused, his yellow eyes going wide with wonder, “you have a beautiful laugh, Baby.  It bums me out that I almost never hear it.”  He bit down on his lip for a second, looking restless.  “So, are there any more stipulations, or can I take you bed now?” It’s ‘may I’, but whatever.

There were none that came to my foggy, boiled mind.  I tried desperately to think back at all the times whenever Vincent and I had had sex, attempting to recall each and every mistake my ex had made.  “Um, no choking,” I mumbled, wincing at one of the multiple sex horror stories that existed in my memory.

“…yeah.  I wasn’t plannin’ on that,” Paul slurred, cocking his eyebrow.  “Um, anything else?”

I’m fairly sure that there were some more ground rules that I should’ve stated, but I couldn’t think of any with the naked werewolf in front of me.  Therefore, I shook my head.

A smirk began to form on Paul’s face and it took me a second to register that I was already in his arms and he’d started to rush towards his bedroom.  

Oh my God, this was really going to happen.  I was going to have sex with Paul, practically right after he’d claimed me in the forest.  The time in between was so small that we might as well had been screwing on the forest floor while the entire pack watched… I’m so thankful that didn’t happen.  My heart was ready to burst and my palms were greased with sweat.  My cock wagged in the air as Paul carried me, and I noticed him eying it as we moved.

He kept the light off as we entered the bedroom, finding the bed with ease in the pitch black.  Very little light filtered in from the outside, which made me happy seeing as how everything would just be physical, making it harder to replay these embarrassing memories in my mind as I lie awake at night.  My body was softly set down onto the comfortable mattress, my head resting on a lumpy pillow that smelt of musk and cheap shampoo.

“Before we start,” Paul grunted, his yellow eyes literally glowing in the dark, being the only things that I could see in the bedroom, “I need to ask: Are you sure? ‘Cause once I start, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop.”

Of course my brain wasn’t sure, but my body wanted nothing more to have the older man put out the fire that was tearing apart my insides.  “Y-yes,” I trembled, sealing my fate.

Paul let out a growl of pleasure, the intense rumbling even vibrating the bed as I felt him start to crawl forward.  “Good,” he growled, “then I have to tell you _my_ conditions.”

…well, I suppose it was only fair, right? “Wh-what are they?” I stuttered, my heart jackhammering in my chest as I could feel the heat radiating off of Paul’s strong arms that were on either side of my torso like a cage.

“I only have two for making love,” I heard him smirk.  “One: I’m always on top.”

That wouldn’t be difficult.  Thanks to sex with Vincent (I never thought I’d say that phrase…), I was a professional when it came to lying down on my back/stomach, making like a posable mannequin as the man did whatever he wanted with me.  “Fine,” I said.

I felt a pair of stubble-framed lips move down my chest, heading towards my groin.  The fire deep down inside of me surged with intensity and I arched my body, letting out a low moan involuntarily.  Oh cheese and crackers, Vincent had never elicited a response like that from me… ever!  Paul had just used his lips… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for my body.

“Good boy,” he purred.  “And I’m sure you’ve already guessed the second one, but I’ll say it anyway.  Number Two: Call me ‘Daddy’.”

During any normal state of mind, I would’ve gone flaccid on the spot.  But since I was in danger of spontaneous combustion at the moment…  “Y-yes.”

“Yes, what?” Paul prompted, pulling away from my body, making me whimper.

Oh goodness.  Swallowing loudly, I had to block out my timidness.  “Yes, D-Daddy,” I breathed, flinching as soon as something inside of me ripped.  Holy cow, that was oddly… hot.  My chest fluttered and there was a tingling in my fingers and cock.  Could it have been because of what I’d called Paul? No, there was no way I could be into that sort of thing.  Whenever Vincent had cornered me into calling him “Daddy”, it didn’t do anything for me.  So maybe the full moon was just further screwing me over by forming some sort of lunar-induced Daddy!Kink in me.  But just to be sure…

Paul had returned to kissing down my body, reaching my thighs, his lips lingering as he did so.  Whenever he pulled back, his leftover saliva cooled off that portion of my body, leaving me awash in sexual heat and gratified chill.  It was amazing.  But still, I had to test something.

“Daddy,” I whispered again, my cock twitching wildly and my heart skipping a beat.  Yep, I’m in trouble…

On cue, Paul glanced up at me, his yellow eyes my only indication.  “Yes, my love?” he loyally answered, still leaning down so close to my thighs that I felt his lips move as he responded.

“N-nothing,” I blushed, thankful that Paul couldn’t see my reddening face in the dark bedroom.

There was deep chuckle from the man who began to lap at my own hard cock, making me go crosseyed.  His tongue traveled up the base, igniting nerves endings that I hadn’t even known existed.  Sure I’ve masturbated in the past, but I’ve never once experienced these sort of sensations at the hands of another person— it was an entirely brand new experience.  The shy boy inside of me wanted to curl up and stop, embarrassed at the thought of being so vulnerable in front of another human being… well, Paul technically wasn’t human.  On the other hand, the heat ravaged part of my brain, which was the majority, was thirsty for more.  Hence, I found myself pushing my groin up higher, earning another chuckle from the werewolf.

“Eager?” he teased, his tongue flicking over the head, making me roll my head back as a bolt of lightening rippled throughout my body.

I knew that had I verbally responded, my voice would’ve been some hormonal moan, similar to that of a porn star’s.  Hence I settled with a simple, “Mm-hmm.”  Short, sweet, and to the point.

Paul continued to tease me, taking in a little bit of my member, only to pull back almost immediately.  “Well then,” he taunted, his smirk audible in his gruff voice, “you better ask Daddy.”

I flinched and tried to look at him incredulously, but then I remembered that he probably couldn’t see my face.  “Wh-what?” I gasped, my dick painfully hard as it went untouched, that heat exploding inside of my gut as I ached for release.  This was torturous and it was cruel!

“You heard me,” Paul smirked, his yellow eyes alight with perverted glee.  “Ask Daddy to suck you off, and then you get what you want.”  He pulled his head back, but his large hands were still clasping onto my thighs, his wolf claws lightly digging into them— not enough to break the skin, but hard enough to make me squirm.

I’ve never had to ask for sexual gratification before… mainly because Vincent had usually just done whatever he wanted, end of discussion.  Plus, I’d never feel a need as badly as this before.  My body craved Paul’s body, his touch extinguishing the flames that were building up inside of me— but he must’ve used dry ice because it also caused a burning all of its own.  Despite my better judgement, I legit needed Paul’s, *ahem, thingy if I was going to survive the night with my full sanity intact.

“Um, hey Paul would you mind sucking me off?” I whimpered.  There, that wasn’t so bad.

There was loud sigh from the werewolf.  “Holy crap, Baby,” he groaned, “you’ve really never had a Daddy before, have you?”

“Wh-what’s that have to do with anything right now?” I whined, trying to push my pelvis forward so that I could just shove my boner into Paul’s mouth without his help.  My dick was so rock hard that I feared it’d fall off at any given moment.

“That’s not how you ask Daddy for things.”

“…I don’t understand,” I sheepishly admitted.  Literally all I was trying to do was get some head and then some dick from that horny old man who obviously wanted it just as badly as I thought I did.  Now this entire phenomenon may be caused by my heat, but I’ll worry about that tomorrow because right now all I could focus on was getting some relief.  And it seemed that the only medication available was with anal insertion.

Again, there was a low sigh from the werewolf in the dark.  “Yeah,” he grumbled, “I’m beginning to realize that.”  His claws disappeared from my thighs and I felt the mattress shift as he crawled off of it.  His heavy footsteps thumped away from the bed and then a blinding flash lit up the room as Paul turned on the bedroom lights, making me squint my eyes.

“What are you doing?” I cried, snatching up his bedsheets in my talons, attempting to hide my privates from him.  “Why’d you turn on the lights?” Seriously, what was going on? My heat was approaching dangerous temperatures and I feared that I’d either pass out from overheating or burst into flames at any given moment.  

Paul, still rock hard, rubbed at his face as he groaned loudly with irritation.  “I know I’m gonna hate myself for this tonight,” he grunted, his eyes looking away from me as he growled, “b-but I can’t knot you tonight, Baby.  I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be right.”

There’s a lot of things that he had done that wouldn’t necessarily be classified as “Right”, but apparently the man decides to develop a conscience right when I need him most?!  “What do you mean?” I whined, my boner aching as most of my blood rushed to it. 

The werewolf shuffled his feet over to his dresser, rummaging through it until he found a pair of basketball shorts, tossing them over to me.  “There,” he pitifully moaned.  “And Baby, this is your first heat, so you’re not used to how it affects you.  Sure you may be horny and all willing now, but tomorrow morning, you’ll still have a lot of questions.  And I would be a horrible Daddy if I forced my Baby into doing something that he wasn’t ready for.”

…really?

“And my Baby isn’t ready as he’s made it clear that he doesn’t understand the dynamic that our relationship will have.”

“Wow, ‘Dynamic’.  That’s a pretty big word for you, congrats,” I snapped, irritated that the one time I actually wanted to have sex, the other person wasn’t feeling it.  But of course that would be my luck.

Paul pointed a large finger at me narrowing his yellow eyes as he scolded me.  “Normally, Daddy would give you a spanking for that,” he threatened in a parental tone.  “But since we haven’t gone over the rules yet, I’ll let that one slide.  But just this once.”

“Spanking?” Was he serious? So Paul was going to bend me over this knee and slap my behind if I acted out and displeased him? Granted that was a whole lot better than my situation with Vincent, it still seemed incredibly weird!

Paul nodded.  “We will go over all of Daddy’s rules tomorrow morning,” he smiled, his cock twitching.  “But for now, I think it’s best if I sleep on the couch to give you some time to adjust… and so that I won’t mount you in the middle of the night.”

Already there were damp spots on the bedsheets from where my sweat was pooling up.  “B-but!” I whined, desperate for my heat to be helped out.  It was so unbearable, unlike anything else I’d ever experienced.  I’d already tried soaking in cold water and trying to have sex with an alpha, but both of those didn’t pan out.  What else could I do?

“I have some popsicles in the freezer,” Paul offered.  “You finish off the box and I’ll leave the ceiling fan on, ‘kay?”

I was speechless and so confused.  A sensitive part of me wondered if there was something wrong that I’d done in order to have Paul do a complete one-eighty in such a short amount of time regarding sex.  At the same time, I was grateful that the man wasn’t pushing me, but I was also terrified about sleeping in an apartment complex full of werewolves.

My life had been flipped completely upside down, my mind struggling to piece it all together.  I sat in a dazed mess on Paul’s bed, barely noticing when he left and returned with an opened box of popsicles.

“Here ya go, Baby,” he cooed.  “Try not to eat them too fast, or else you’ll get a tummy ache.”

“Th-thanks,” I stammered, my mind proving incapable of solving this mess in one sitting.  Unwrapping a cherry popsicle, I sat in silence on Paul’s bed as the werewolf licked his lips at the sight of me sucking on the frozen treat.

“Oh fuck,” he moaned, his hand going towards his groin.  “I, uh, I’ll be in the living room if you need me, Baby.  Just call out for Daddy.”

Yeah, I’ll try not to do that.  Still, I nodded.

A small smile formed on Paul’s face, sending a shiver down my spine as he directed it towards me.  “Goodnight, Baby,” he grinned.  “And just so you know, I’m really happy that you’re here and that I can finally get to court my mate.  I promise you that I’ll try to be the man you deserve, just you wait and see.”

Oh yeah, we’ll definitely have to see about that.


	17. Color

****“Color” - Finish Ticket

_What the hell do I know? / Looking for an answer / Learn from my mistakes / The cycle starts again / Amplify this feeling / A feeling I remember / On the something yet to show_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

**[Darren, Safe Word]**   
****

_I have to be honest: I’m not a big fan of sex._   
****

_Maybe there’s something wrong with me since in almost all forms of media, whether it be movies, TV shows, magazines, yaoi, what have you— everything seems to have sexual intercourse as a centric activity.  Therefore it was obvious that the act of making love was of the upmost importance in American… no, in GLOBAL society.  Hence it was becoming a real problem for me whenever I cringed after Vincent indicated that he wanted to have sex that night.  Sex with him was always painful and usually involved me shoving my face down into the pillow to avoid screaming out in agony while my boyfriend did some demented jackhammer routine._

_I knew deep down that it was a personal problem that I had myself.  After hours of researching on gay blogs, it seemed as if almost every single individual online raved on and on about their sexual exploits and how orgasmic anal felt to them.  I’d embarrassingly posted an anonymous topic that asked for advice since I’d never even experienced an orgasm… as humiliating as it was to admit, I’ve never came with Vincent.  All of the posts, besides the ones from old men stating in vulgar ways that they’d make me cum with ease, pointed out that there must’ve been something that I was doing wrong._

_And Vincent was growing impatient._

_“I think I know what to do,” he announced one night.  Jonathan and Mom were out on a weekend trip to Las Vegas, so I’d invited Vincent to stay over for the weekend mainly because I was a little scared of having to stay in my big house all by myself._

_“Yeah?” I giggled, wanting to curb this anxiety with a witty joke.  “And what makes you think that I’ll have sex with you tonight?”_

_Vincent didn’t chuckle and instead glared at me with a stone-still face.  “‘Cause I’m stronger than you.”  Dang, he’s good at dark humor… I hope._

_“Um, what is it?” I quietly asked, toying with a stray piece of string that stuck up off my comforter._

_He propped himself up on his elbow, allowing me to get a glimpse of his pale chest since he left his shirt all the way unbuttoned.  “I’ve been reading up online about erotic asphyxiation,” he grinned, nodding his head a bit to get me excited._

_I recoiled and almost fell off my bed in shock.  “Wh-what?” I gasped, bringing my hand up to my mouth.  “Y-you want me to choke you?” There’s no way I could even stand the thought of putting my hands on Vincent in that sort of manner.  I’ve heard of people who were into that sort of thing, but I didn’t want to accidentally harm my boyfriend in any way.  The guilt would absolutely tear me up inside._

_Vincent chuckled, shaking his head and scooting closer to me on my hard mattress.  “No, Baby,” he cooed, running a calloused hand over my bruised cheek, “I’ll be the one in control.  When normal air flow is blocked, the sensation is similar to that of sexual euphoria— that’s what_ Tumblr _says.”_

_“I-I’m not sure_ Tumblr’s _a reputable medical source…”_

_“And how do you know you won’t like it if you don’t try it?” Vincent pressed.  “Remember when you tried honeydew? You said you didn’t want to eat it ‘cause it looked all boogery-green, and now it’s your favorite fruit.”_

_I do love honeydew.  And I do suppose that I should try out something new at least once in my lifetime.  “O-okay,” I stuttered, my hands already trembling.  “B-but what if I don’t like?” The thought of being purposefully choked out sent a ripple of fear down my spine.  Vincent loved me and he’d never hurt me… um, he’d never try to cause harm… uh, there’s no way he’d want to make me experience pain… oh darn.  Well, I’m sure he means well._

_Vincent chewed on his lower lip in thought for a brief second before perking up.  “Our safety word’s ‘Honeydew’.  As soon as you start to feel unsafe or like this isn’t for you, just say ‘Honeydew’ and I’ll stop, Baby.  Sound good?”_

_Well, I guess if there was a safety word then I’d be more inclined to partake.  “O-okay,” I stammered, leaning back on the mattress so that Vincent could take over.  He liked being on top and tended to prefer when I just lie there like a stone, allowing him to be in complete control._

_Because Vincent wasn’t a fan of foreplay or stretching, it didn’t take long until he was all the way inside of me, thrusting like a wild animal as I writhed in pain on the hard mattress beneath me.  My fists had handfuls of my bedsheets as I tried to block out the pain from having my boyfriend’s five inch dick dryly shift inside my tight hole._

_“R-ready?” he panted, his large hands blindly trying to find my neck in the dark bedroom.  I’d left my curtains open, allowing the moonlight to pour into my small room.  It barely illuminated my pale boyfriend, allowing me to only see his gleaming eyes._

_At first I tired to choke out that I was ready, but the pain in my butt was too intense for me to say anything at the moment.  “Mm-hmm,” I quickly hummed, gritting my teeth and forcing myself to try to relax by staring out the window at the numerous scatterings of stars.  The sight of them tended to relax me in the past, but right now they barely did a darn thing._

_“Okay, I’ma start lightly and then pick it up, got it?” Vincent grunted as I felt his large hands slowly engulf my think neck.  Very gently, he applied a soft pressure, not really doing much of anything except acting like a human turtleneck._

_Okay, this wasn’t so bad.  I relaxed the smallest bit, the thrusting of my body growing slightly bearable as I’d begun to realize that I’d been afraid of this choking thing all for nothing._

_Then Vincent applied more pressure, cutting off a small portion of my air.  I could still breathe, but the hot rising temperature of the room and the musky aroma that filled up the area made me a bit claustrophobic, making me feel as if I were unable to inhale oxygen all the way to my lungs._

_“Uh, h-honeydew,” I panicked, although I was in no danger— I was starting to feel incredibly anxious with having a large pair of man hands around my windpipe.  The sheer feeling of being that vulnerable while pinned beneath his muscular bulk sent a shockwave of fear throughout me, making me wheeze and instantaneously go flaccid._

_Instead of letting go, Vincent tightened his grip, nearly crushing my Adam’s apple with his intense force.  “Not yet!” he grunted, increasing his pumping movements.  “Fuck— this is so hot!”_

_“H-h—!” I tried to cough out our safety word again, but his hands were clenched around my neck so tightly that I couldn’t even mutter a single syllable.  My body was completely unable to take in any air, sending my brain into a panicked frenzy.  On instinct, I’d tried clawing at Vincent, trying shoving him off of me, trying to anything!  But it proved futile as Vincent was insanely stronger than me and in such an orgasmic rush that he didn’t even notice— that or he didn’t even care._

_“Yeah!” he moaned loudly as he obliviously continued to thrust inside of me, all the while his hands were tightly secured around my neck.  “Tell me, Baby, who’s your daddy? C’mon who’s your daddy?”_

_My brain had a thought that if I did know my actual daddy, that I would’ve tried to yell out for him.  Then he’d burst into my bedroom and yank my boyfriend off of me, literally saving my life.  Alas, I don’t, hence I’m trapped in this dangerous predicament._

_“H-honey—!” I chocked, my voice a raspy croak now.  The entire bed shifted on its legs with Vincent’s animalistic thrusts, squeaking louder than I managed to cry out.  Tears began to sting my eyes and roll down my face as I struggled for breath, my eyesight growing fuzzy due to the lack of oxygen._

_I was convinced that in that very moment, I’d die.  I’m going to die at the hands of my boyfriend all because I was such a pathetic loser who was unable to cum in front of him!  Why did I suck so much?!_

_Vincent grunted and tensed up, unleashing a warm load into my gut.  He trembled as he was overcome with an earth-shattering orgasm, his hands loosening up the smallest bit from my neck._

_I took in a deep, desperate gasp of air as I panted and coughed on the mattress, feeling dangerously light-headed.  “I-I s-said ‘Honeydew’, you jerk!” I sobbed, shaking uncontrollably as I was wrecked with a flood of emotions.  I was so relieved to be able to breath again.  I was so angry at Vincent for putting me in that situation.  I was so embarrassed at allowing myself to be in said situation in the first place.  And worst of all: I was mortified at the thought of being in the same room, let alone bed, as Vincent._

_I trembled and curled in on myself as I was overcome with the terrifying revelation that I’d just experienced: I… I think I’m afraid of my boyfriend._

_“C’mon, you liked it,” Vincent panted, lying on his back and propping his hands beneath his head.  “As I recall, you started buckin’ like a freak.”_

_My vision started to clear up, my throat immensely sore.  Again, I tried to stare out at the stars again, but instead of fantasizing about having my father come rescue me (again), I began to think of ways to deal with Vincent._

_I loved him very much and I knew that there was no way I’d be able to find someone as understanding of my situation as him, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that I wasn’t safe in this relationship.  The acknowledgement made me cry along with the sobbing I’d already been doing from the intense fear and pain from the choking._

_Maybe I’ll ask him for a break, that way I can sort out my feelings until I figure out what I want to do.  Of course I want to be loved and in a beautiful relationship, but maybe… maybe that’s not with Vincent._

**工ｴｴｪｪ(;╹⌓╹)ｪｪｴｴ工**

**[Darren, Present Day]**   
****

I have no clue how I’m going to face Paul this morning…  
 ****

It took me forever to fall asleep last night thanks to that stupid heat that I’d been forced to go through due to getting claimed by a werewolf alpha in the forest.  That heat had made me feel as if my skin was sizzling off of my bones, poaching my brain into some unintelligent mush that had been easily convinced to refer to the older man as “Daddy” in order to try to lure him into bed with me.   And he refused… not at first, but eventually.  And as I’d lied there in the sweat-soaked bed all by myself, all I could think of was what physically deformity of mine had scared the horny man away, actually making me blue for a while.  However, eventually I was able to calm myself down the smallest bit by practicing some slow breathing exercises that I’d learned about in P.E.  Utilizing that, I’d managed to bring down my anxiety and after jerking off (twice), I passed out in Paul’s bed for a while.

I highly doubt that I’d been asleep for a long time.  I knew that the Mating Run had taken place at midnight, and that Paul and I had talked for a while out in the living room.  And it’d taken me hours to fall asleep last night.  The sun was barely poking past the horizon, its rays seeping into the dusty blinds, making me grimace as I tiredly sat upright.

Immediately, I noticed that I was no longer sweating or experiencing obscure stomach pains.  The heat was over!  I’d lasted through the full moon without being knotted by a werewolf!  Success!

My happiness was short-lived as soon as the events of last night crawled back into the forefront of my brain— I am the selected mate of an alpha werewolf…  How on Earth am I supposed to cope with that?!  Oh goodness, my life is over.  I’d already been struggling to keep my homosexuality under wraps in town, but now I have to keep the existence of werewolves a secret from my parents as well? That was going to be extremely difficult given that Paul seemed to behave like an overly-attached puppy who never left me alone!  

I have to get out of here.  Plain and simple, I need to leave and fast.

I shot out of the bed, cringing when I realized that I was still naked.  My stomach also dropped to the floor when I caught a full glimpse of my bite mark that marred my shoulder.  I need to cover up if I’m going to flee, unless I want to get arrested for public indecency.  Scurrying over to the closet, I began to shuffle through the numerous garments that Paul owned, searching for one that I could borrow… and probably never return.  There was no solid plan in my mind for what I would do once I managed to flee the werewolf apartment complex, but that could all be decided later on down the literal road.

Of course Paul owned a multitude of muscle tanks and various shirts that displayed profanity or pot leaves… I’m way too shy to wear those.  Sighing, I grabbed a black t-shirt that said _Wanna Pet My Weiner?_ in bright yellow letters joined with a silhouette of a dachshund.  It was by far the most tame shirt that the man owned.  I also snatched some red basketball shorts, quickly yanking the large articles of clothing on, having to tie the drawstrings of the shorts super tight thanks to the extreme difference in Paul and mine’s build.  My smaller body was completely swallowed by the clothes, but I couldn't allow myself to concentrate too much on how I looked— I needed to stay focused on my mission to get as far away from werewolves as possible.

Logic dictated that werewolves were dangerous creatures, as seen on Hollywood movies.  People tended to be torn to shreds by their claws and razor-sharp teeth.. However, because my luck is horrendous, my butt was going to ripped open by Paul’s mutant wolf penis instead.  I wasn’t quite down for that.  I had to do everything in my power to protect myself; because I suck at fighting, that left me with flying, or running away as fast as I could.  I’d already been chased down through the forest and had proved to be quite slow when compared to a love-driven dog.  On the other hand, it was now daytime and if I ran down the people-filled streets of Crescent City, then I highly doubted that Paul would chase me down in his wolf form… or he would, I don’t know.  Apparently he has a large enough pack for them all to take up an entire apartment complex, so there were obviously members who I had never met/seen before.

“Okay,” I whispered to myself, trying to psych up so that I could leave the apartment.  The heat had completely bewildered my brain last night, resulting in some kind of lunar-induced attraction to the werewolf.  Thanks to it being a brand new day and thus having a different cycle in the sky, I was no longer ruled by my hormones.  While I would be a straight up liar if I said that Paul wasn’t the least bit sexy (‘cause if he wasn’t a creeper werewolf with a cringe-induing Daddy!Kink…dang), my mind screamed at me to put some distance between the werewolf and I unless I wanted to be turned into dog chow.

Yeah, Darren-flavored dog food probably wouldn’t sell too well, so I need to flee.

Fearful that Paul would be waiting on the other side of the closed bedroom door, I dropped to the carpeted ground, peeking beneath the space between the floor and door.  I saw the bottom legs of the table and my sweater that was bunched up on the ground, but no sight of Paul.  For extra measures, I placed my ear against the wooden door, straining for any indication of the crazy werewolf.  Luckily, fate was finally on my side as I couldn’t hear a single thing from the other side of the door.  

Maybe Paul came to his senses and left? Man, if only.

Very slowly, I turned the small doorknob, wincing as soon as the door hinges squeaked as I pushed on the large piece of wood.  I paused for a brief second, listening out for any barking or growling, but there was none.  I quietly pushed the door all the way open, peeking my head past the doorframe so that I could get a little look around the tiny apartment.

I couldn’t see Paul!

Practically skipping, I hurried out into the living room, making a beeline for the front door.  I undid the bolt, noticing that the chain was left undone, meaning that Paul must’ve been out, leaving me in the apartment all by myself… where could he had gone? For a brief moment, my self-esteem plummeted to the recesses of the Earth’s core as I wondered if he’d left because he’d found me clingy and repulsive last night— no, don’t think like that.

Ignoring my stupid feelings of abandonment and the dull throbbing of guilt, I flung myself outside, instantly shivering due to the cold weather.  Paul’s clothes were paper thin, most likely because he liked his clothing to show off every contour of his muscles.  While they looked like I was swimming in them, they did absolutely nothing to trap any heat to my body.  Plus, I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even bother to throw on shoes.

I was running down the dew-covered sidewalk in the direction that I believed my house was in, totally clad in clothes several sizes too big for me and without shoes.  I’m pretty sure my face was still pale and pretty frightened as I constantly looked over my shoulder for any sign of a werewolf following me.  I saw several cars out on their morning commute, a woman walking her dog who looked at me like I was on meth, and a familiar minivan…

I had to pause my running, the apartment complex still pretty close to me unfortunately.  Hands on my knees, I struggled to catch my breath as the minivan drew closer and closer to me, eventually pulling up alongside the sidewalk where I panted.

“Darren?” Jonathan asked as he rolled the passenger side window down.  “What the hell are you doing out here and not at home?”

I was so not mentally prepared to deal with my angry stepdad right now, and a small piece of my mind mentioned that I should’ve stayed in Paul’s bed… where did that come from?

“Um, I-I got l-lost on a morning walk,” I stuttered, shivering from the cold and from my fear as the older man glared at me as I was draped in Paul’s clothes.

Jonathan reached over the middle console and flung the door open for me to get in.  “I’ve been lookin’ for you for an hour!” he roared, his face growing red.  “Why the hell didn’t you answer your phone?”

I crawled into the passenger side of the vehicle, slamming the door shut behind me.  My numb fingers struggled to put on my seatbelt, and Jonathan, who was growing impatient, just floored the gas without me being strapped in.

My mind was in a petrified frenzy and I stupidly couldn’t help but think that I should’ve stayed at Paul’s place instead of trying to run off.  I hadn’t had an exact plan when I’d left, but running into Jonathan sure wasn’t something that I wanted.  “I l-lost my phone,” I sheepishly lied, recalling the insane way Paul had crushed it in his mighty hand with his superhuman strength.

Jonathan sneered in my direction, taking a sharp turn so fast that we fishtailed for a moment.  “I know you’re lyin’ about something, Boy,” he snarled.  “But I can’t concentrate on that now ‘cause I’ve been looking for you to tell you that your mom’s been in an accident.”

“What?” I cried, sitting up in my seat.  “Is she okay?” My hands began to tremble and I could feel my throat dry up as the terrifying thought of my mom being injured entered my head.  And worse of all, I longed for comfort… from a certain man’s pair of arms.  Why?

Jonathan shook his head.  “She’ll be fine,” he muttered.  “She fell down some stairs at work and broke her leg.  And the doctor recommended that she not fly until it heals.  So that just means that it’s going to be just you and me for an extra couple of weeks.”

My heart sank and I could feel all of the blood drain from my face as my stepdad’s words sank in.  My mom wouldn’t be coming to Crescent City for a while now, leaving me alone with Jonathan.  And he was becoming incredibly suspicious of me and he knew that something was up; and based on his frustrated look, he appeared eager to figure out what it was.  Then something else about his look caught my eye.

“I-is that lipstick on your neck?” I asked, pointing at the pink smudge on his throbbing lower neck near his clavicle.

“Mind your business, Darren!” he barked, effectively silencing me.

I’m in so much trouble.  I have to deal with Paul, Vincent, and now this.  B-but I can try to be optimistic.  The heat is no longer affecting my brain and Paul hasn’t knotted me yet, so that means that I’m not officially-officially his yet.  Vincent is driving up here, meaning that I had a couple of days to prepare for his arrival— but I no longer had a phone that could alert me of his proximity.  As for Jonathan, I just need to be doing what I have been: Be as invisible as possible.

The best way to achieve that is to avoid Paul at all costs.  I’ve already escaped from his place, so all I had to do was stay in a public setting where he couldn’t snatch me up.  Easy as pie… I hope.


	18. Quicksand

“Quicksand” - La Roux

_Alone in the darkness / My bed’s a different land / Your touch intensifies / And I’m in the quicksand_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**  
****

**[Darren, Trapped]**

_I’d spent the entire week avoiding my boyfriend, Vincent, because I really needed some time to think.  I’d faked sick, pretended that I had tons of homework to do, or pulled the Mom-card.  After everything that’s been going on, I noticed that my heart sped up whenever I saw him… and it wasn’t in a good way._

_I think I’m afraid of my boyfriend, and despite how lonely I was before him, I know my relationship’s not healthy.  I don’t know how to get out though.  Vincent was a very passionate man, and he’d frequently told me that without me, he had no reason for living.  I’d believed it to be a sweet phrase at the time, but now that I was trying to find a way to safely break up with him, I was a little nervous about the connotations…_

_We were at school, and I’d finally given up on trying to hide and decided to face my problem head on.  Vincent and I were in his car in the parking lot, eating the lunches that I’d packed for us.  Well, he was eating while I tore at my sandwich as my stomach was in knots._

_“You okay, Babe?” he asked, cocking his eyebrow at me when he noticed that I hadn’t taken a single bite of my food._

_“Y-yeah,” I lied.  I was so scared.  I knew that I had to break up with Vincent if I didn’t want to be walking on eggshells throughout my entire relationship, but I was nervous about what he’d do when I try to.  “I w-was just thinking.”_

_“About?” he pressed, finishing off his sandwich.  He even turned down the radio so that he could hear me better— see, there he goes trying to be all sweet again.  Maybe we can work it out? No, no.  I know that leaving him will perhaps literally save my life later on down the road.  But I’d seen on TV and read on blogs that when breaking up with a violent partner, it’s best to do so while in public so that they can’t overreact too much._

_Looking around the parking lot, I frowned when I realized that Vincent and I are the only losers who ate lunch in their vehicle while everyone else either ate in the cafeteria or smoked behind the art room.  There was literally no one around to save me if my boyfriend went postal on me.  Maybe it’d be smarter to test the waters first…_

_“Um,” I groaned, “h-have you ever wondered where’d you’d like to go for college?”_

_Vincent shook his head.  “I honestly don’t wanna go,” he admitted.  “I figured I could get a job at my old man’s auto shop and then you can get a part-time job at the mall.  We can afford a small place with that.”_

_Aww, he sees me in his future fantasies.  That’s so cute— darn it.  Focus, Darren!  “Okay,” I stammered, “‘cause I used to imagine myself going to an out-of-state school.  Go somewhere maybe in the Northeast…”_

_Vincent’s smile morphed into a scowl as I droned on._

_“…and I thought that it’d be fun to study abroad for a semester or two.  I hear that a lot of countries have programs where you can teach English and they provide you with a place to live.  I already know Spanish, so maybe I can go to Spain.”_

_Vincent is very smart and extremely intuitive; those qualities had attracted me to him in the first place.  However, now they proved to be my downfall as he saw right through my scheme like it was being shoved right in front of his narrowed eyes._

_“Well, I guess I always thought that we’d be side by side in the future,” he sneered, locking the doors with a push of a button.  “After all, you’re my soulmate, Darren.”_

_“Wh-why’d you lock the doors—?”_

_“—And if we’re not together in the future, then that means that some idiot must’ve separated us,” he growled, clenching his jaw and scooting closer to me in the small confines of the car.  “And I’ve told you before that I’m very protective of you, right?” He ran a rough hand along my cheek, making me wince when he tightened his grip on my chin to force me to look into his psychotic eyes._

_“R-right,” I gulped, virtually vibrating in my seat with fear._

_Vincent continued to get closer and closer to me, basically hovering over my cowering body.  “So then if someone came between us,” he continued, “then I’d have to deal with them, get it? The first idea that pops into mind is to break their legs so that they can’t get very far.”  He slammed his free hand down onto my knee, making me yelp out in shock and pain.  “And if that doesn’t work, then I guess I’d have to tell everybody something that said person has been trying so very hard to keep hidden— something that could ruin their entire life.”_

_The blood drained from my face and I nearly passed out as Vincent’s threats sank in.  Although the first threat was scary enough in of itself, the second one was the one that put the fear of God into me.  If Vincent outed me to the entire school and to my parents, then I’d be kicked out of my house and have nowhere to go… except to Vincent’s.  He’d be all I’d have left, and he’d win._

_He had me trapped.  And judging by the wide grin that formed on his aggravated face, he knew it._

_“I-I g-guess it’s a good thing that no one messes with us, right?” I nervously laughed, trying to pretend that there’d been no way I’d ever considered breaking up with Vincent.  “I love you.”  I’d hurriedly added that last part as a bonus, praying that it’d work._

_“I love you too, Baby,” Vincent smirked, releasing his grip from my face to rest his heavy arm over my shoulders.  “And I mean it too, Darren: if anyone tries to take you away from me, I’ll personally see to it that they suffer.  Anyone.”_

**(╬⁽⁽ ⁰ ⁾⁾ Д ⁽⁽ ⁰ ⁾⁾)**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

The car ride home was filled with tense silence.  I knew that Jonathan suspected something, but at the same time, he knew that I almost had him backed into a corner because of the lipstick that he’d tried to wipe off of his neck after I’d pointed it out.  Had I been vindictive, I would’ve kept quiet about it until I’d managed to snag a picture of it, and then I’d milk him for everything that he owns.  However, because I had a big mouth, I had to go and blurt out that I saw it before I could obtain any proof of his alleged infidelity.  Perhaps I could just put the memory in my back pocket for later— Mom would have to believe her one and only child over her husband… yeah right.

Jonathan eyed me from the side as he punched in the gate code to enter the community.  “What’s with the shirt?” he asked, making my face go bright red as I realized that I was still wearing Paul’s oversized clothes.

“Um, y-you don’t remember Mom buying me this at Macy’s?” I lied.  “She used your credit card.”

“Sounds like her,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes as he floored the gas pedal down the street, barely missing a kid on his skateboard.  “But you’re swimming in that shirt.”  He inhaled deeply through his nose, scrunching up his face.  “And you fuckin’ reek like wet dog.  Get in the shower as soon as we get home.”

“Yes, Sir,” I muttered, sealing my lips so that I couldn’t get myself into any more trouble.  Already my conscious berated me for leaving Paul’s house, some irritating voice chanting, _You’re not safe!  Find Daddy!_ over and over again.  Where did that come from? I knew that it was referring to the alpha werewolf; but what I didn’t understand was why some section of my brain seemed all too ready to go ahead and accept his decree that I call him “Daddy”.  Ugh, why?

But the voice was wrong— it had to be.  Jonathan may be unstable, and a jerk, and a bully, and violent, and angry, and… um, he was my stepdad.  That had the word “Dad” in it, so that had to mean something, right? At the moment, I seemed to be faced with the trifecta of dangerous men: Jonathan the Jerk, Vincent the Violent, and Paul the Pervert/Possessive.  Now out of those three, I just had to chose who I felt the safest with… Vincent was automatically out of the running.  Therefore, who would be the more healthy of the two: Jonathan, the aggravated man my mother married? Or, Paul, the werewolf who claimed that we were soulmates? Yeah, that was a real head-scratcher.  I honestly don’t know…

The second Jonathan pulled up into the driveway, I bolted inside the house and scurried up the stairs to the bathroom.  I eagerly peeled off Paul’s oversized clothes and leapt into the shower, desperate to get the scent of werewolf off of me.  Of course due to my horrendous life, the shower proved futile in relaxing my aching muscles or calming my nerves; Paul’s famous baths seemed to be the gold standard of bathing.  I briefly considered plugging up the drain to attempt to recreate a luxurious bubblebath, but I eventually decided against it.  That would only be reinforcing the notion that I liked it when Paul took care of me like I was some defenseless kid… which I so was not!

But it was Saturday, which meant that I had today and tomorrow to figure out a game plan.  That was forty-eight whole hours in which I could dedicate my mind to the situation at hand so that I could muster up something.

As I got dressed in my usual non-baggy clothes, I heard the doorbell ring, sending a shiver down my spine.

Of course things wouldn’t be as easy as just strolling out of the apartment!  Paul had said that he was a werewolf who was in love with me, obviously he’d make things difficult for me.  But would he be foolish enough to straight up ring my doorbell while Jonathan was home?

I briefly considered ducking underneath my mattress of a bed or trying to find the entrance to the attic where I could just squat for the remainder of my poor life.  However, before I could make a move, I overheard Jonathan’s storming footsteps go towards the door.

“Darren!” he roared out as soon as I heard the hinges squeak.

Oh no!  Paul must’ve come to my house in order to collect me and now Jonathan was going to throw me out, literally feeding me to the dogs!  I was so screwed!  Why, oh why did I decide to go home of all places?!

“Wh-what?” I called back, my voice cracking mid-sentence.

“Don’t ‘What?’ me!  Come down here!” Jonathan ordered, his own voice gravelly and pissed off.

Paul was here, I know it.  I’m in so much trouble.  Not only would everything be ruined for me with my hidden homosexuality, but then I’d be forced to go back to a werewolf apartment complex.  I never thought that these would be the problems that I’d be facing in my teen years…  Resigned to my fate, I sighed and inched my way downstairs to the entryway where my stepdad stood with his arms crossed in front of his small chest.  As I descended the stairs at a glacial speed, I tried to bend down so that I could get a peek at whoever was in the doorway just in case I needed to bolt back to my room.

However, once I got to the last step, I realized that instead of a person at the doorway, there was a purple gift bag on the porch step with _Darren_ scribbled on it.  What?

Howie even stepped out of his room and shuffled into the entryway of the house, holding a steaming cup of coffee.  “Who was at the door?” he asked his son.

“No one,” Jonathan muttered as he picked up the gift bag from the ground.  “It seems here that Darren had someone leave him a little gift.”  He eyed the bag and even peeked inside it before his eyes went wide as saucers.  “What the hell?” He reached inside the colored paper bag and grabbed out a brand new iPhone, still in the box.

What the hell, indeed.  I knew that Paul didn’t have a lot of money and that he’d promised to get me another phone after he’d crushed my old one— but dang!  I had no idea that he was willing to buy me one of the most expensive phones on the market!  I awkwardly stood on the last step in awe, trying to figure out why the werewolf was willing to fork over some serious cash for little me.  It made no sense at all.

“Damn, Darren,” Howie chuckled, giving me a little nod, “you better lock them down if they’re gonna get you stuff like that.”

I didn’t want to lock down a werewolf!  I’m not even sure what that means, but I’m willing to bet that it’s not good!  Sure he was giving me a really, really, REALLY nice gift right now, but who’s to say that later on, he won’t maul me… or kill me with his wolf dick? Plus, Vincent had bought me many, many gifts such as chocolates and even a New 3DS (to replace the one he’d smashed during an argument), so yeah.  Gifts don’t necessarily equate to a caring, gentle man.  To add to my argument, Jonathan had purchased me gift after gift for my birthday or for Christmas (they were usually from the Dollar Store, but it’s the thought that counts), and he’s a terrible human being.  Therefore, I wasn’t going to allow myself to be blinded with sparkling gadgetry with superfluously high prices.

But I was still probably going to keep it…

“It looks like there’s a note in here too,” Jonathan said as he continued to dig through my gift bag.  He pulled out a neatly folded up piece of notebook paper, unfolding it and scrunching up his eyes as he glanced at it— oh God, if this gift truly is from Paul, then there’s no doubt in my mind that he would’ve written some incredibly cringe-worthy and perverted stuff in that note.

“I c-can read it myself,” I blurted, hurrying forward so that I could grab the gift bag away from Jonathan.

My stepdad took a large step away from me, holding the note high up into the air and out of my reach.  “Why does this note say ‘Daddy’s Rules’?” he grilled, looking both disgusted and smug as he knew that he finally had me backed into a corner.

I’m dead.  Plain and simple, my life is over.  I might as well just walk out the door and keep on going until I’m killed from exhaustion.  If Jonathan puts two and two together and finds out that I’m gay and that his high school bully had his sights on me, then I’ll be kicked out and thrown onto the streets in a heartbeat.  The blood drained from my face and I struggled to come up with a lie that could cover my behind, but in my frazzled and fearful state, I was frozen.

“Oh, damn my arthritis!” Howie hissed, literally chucking his cup of hot coffee at his son.

“What the fuck!” Jonathan roared as the hot liquid scalded his skin, dropping the gift bag and the note onto the floor as he sprinted up the stairs to change out of his burning clothes.  Once he was gone, I quickly scooped Paul’s gifts up off the floor and held them tightly to my person.

“You better hide that note,” Howie hummed as he trudged over towards the kitchen to grab some paper towels for the coffee that was pooling on the floor.

“Th-thanks,” I murmured, although I knew that the elderly man probably couldn’t hear me at all.  Nevertheless, I scampered back up the stairs and dashed into the bathroom so that I could quickly read and dispose of the note before Jonathan could find it.  I locked the door behind me and glanced at the crumpled up piece of paper that was written in poor handwriting that some teachers would classify as “Chicken Scratch”:

♥ _Daddy’s Rules_ _:_

_1).  Always refer to Daddy as “Daddy”.  No exceptions._

_2).  You are Daddy’s and no one else’s._

_3).  If anyone tries to flirt with you, tell them you’re taken and then inform Daddy so he can have a chat with them._

_4).  Tell Daddy whenever you’re sad._

_5).  Always tell Daddy if someone’s bothering you._

_6).  Always give Daddy kisses whenever he asks, including ones for nighttime, morning, and before you go to school._

_7).  Daddy will keep your secret for you, so please don’t worry._

_8).  While inside the apartment, your designated seat is Daddy’s lap._

_9).  You will sleep every night in Daddy’s arms.  His chest is your pillow._

_10).  We will hammer out the details later, but for now you will spend every weekend at Daddy’s.  When you’re not sleeping at Daddy’s, leave your bedroom window cracked open so Daddy can come in._

_11).  No touching yourself.  Only Daddy can make you cum._

_12).  No lying to Daddy._

_13).  When Daddy is away on Pack Business, call him every morning and night.  My Beta (Justin) will keep an eye on you in the meantime.  If he’s not available, contact Ellie._

_14).  No running from Daddy because it will evoke his wolf’s instincts to chase._

_15).  Break any rules and Daddy will have to punish you.  1st Offense: Stern Talking To; 2nd Offense: Spanking; 3rd Offense: No Clothing Allowed in Apartment; 4th: TBD_

_*Please always remember, Baby: You are Daddy’s whole world.  Daddy loves you with all of his heart and will always protect you.  ♥_

Oh my gosh.  My first thought was that Paul had said written “Daddy” twenty-one times in his note— how awkward and cringe-worthy.  Secondly, my body tensed up and I almost dropped the piece of paper in shock as I gave it another look over, wincing as I took in each and every single rule that Paul had given me.  He legitimately expected me to follow these guidelines for his Daddy!Kink-esque relationship!  I have no idea how to process this information.

Still, I needed to protect myself, so I ripped up the note and flushed the tiny bits of paper down the toilet.  Once every piece of incriminating paper was gone, I crept out of the bathroom and sprinted into my bedroom.  I had to force myself to push the note to the back of my mind as I ran, because otherwise I’d freeze up if I thought over the ramifications— Paul wanted to sneak into my house at night… how am I supposed to hide a grown man from my parents?!

Inside the safety of my bedroom, my curiosity got the best of me and I opened up the iPhone box to inspect it.  All the while I kept an ear out for Jonathan who could barely be heard grunting to himself as he angrily changed his coffee-stained clothes.

The box had already been opened since the seal was undone on it.  The iPhone itself was a pale metallic color and when I turned it on, I almost threw up as the wallpaper was set to a selfie of a shirtless Paul from above as he flexed an enormous bicep.  That cocky grin was easily visible on the pixilated screen, and I just know that he did this just to bug me— he’d probably been laughing the entire time.  He would do that…  I’ll have to change the wallpaper later, but I can figure that out when I have time.  I noticed that the message icon had a little red indicator by it, telling me that I had an unread text.

I meant to press the correct icon, but my shaking fingers accidentally tapped on the _Contacts_ icon, revealing a short list of numbers that Paul must’ve programmed into the phone for me: _Ellie_ (Um, okay), _Daddy_ (Oh God why?), _Justin_ (I guess…), _Lola_ (I can just talk to her at school), _Nicky & Patrick_ (They share a phone?), _Rhett_ (Who?), and _Ronnie_ (She’ll probably talk my ear off, so, No).  Rolling my eyes, I opened up the text and, of course, it was from Paul.

_Call me wen u get this_

My teenaged mind considered blowing the dude off and just taking the free phone.  However, if my mom ever found out that I’d taken an expensive phone from someone (let alone Paul) without thanking them, she’d blister my butt with her flip-flop.  There are some circumstances in which I’m much more afraid of my mother than I am of an alpha werewolf with razor-sharp teeth.  I should be terrified of werewolves, and I really was.  The thought of being anywhere in the vicinity of a man-eating monster shook me to my core and made my knees buckle and my throat go dry.  However, I do suppose that Paul had dropped down several hundreds of dollars for me even when he didn’t have a lot of money to begin with.

Despite my gut instinct shrieking that I’d regret this, I tapped down on the contact that read: _Daddy_.

It didn’t even take the man an entire minute before he answered my call.  “ _Hey Baby_ ,” I heard him say, the smirk drastically audible in his voice, “ _do you like the phone Daddy bought for you?_ ”

I really do.  It’s so sleek and shiny and already has _iFunny_ and _Pokémon GO_ downloaded onto it.  Plus, c’mon, it’s an iPhone!  “Y-yes, thank you,” I stammered, feeling my face grow bright red as it dawned on me that I was thanking a werewolf for buying me a cellphone.

“ _Of course, Baby_ ,” Paul cooed, his deep voice oddly soothing especially after the adrenaline hike I’d experienced when Jonathan had found the note, “ _Daddy said he’d take care of you.  And now that you have a phone again, I expect you to follow through on each and every rule that I gave you.  Understand?_ ”

I honestly didn’t know what to say to that, so I remained silent.

“ _Baby?_ ” Paul asked.  “ _You hear me?_ ”

I coughed and cleared my throat, trying to find my voice despite the desert-like dryness in my mouth.  “Uh, y-yeah, I understand.”

“ _Good_ ,” Paul purred, sounding just peachy.  “ _But, and I mean it Baby, you cannot just up and leave the apartment without asking me first.  There are things out there in the nearby forest that are very dangerous._ ”

“Like werewolves?” I halfheartedly chuckled, although deep down I was serious.  Just the other day I’d been chased through the forest by a werewolf, so yeah.  I’m just sayin’…

“ _Yes_ ,” Paul said sternly.

“Eh?” I immediately stopped laughing and cringed as Paul had totally just revealed that I’d be dog chow any day now.  I knew I couldn’t trust him!

“ _Baby, you’re the human mate to an alpha werewolf_ ,” Paul snorted, as if this information was public record and easily accessible.  “ _It’s a very common battle tactic for rival packs to target an alpha’s mate._ ”

A cold sweat broke out on my forehead and I hesitantly glanced out of my bedroom window to double-check if there were any other werewolves outside my house.  “Why?” I cried, frantically grabbing at my hair in a frenzied panic.

Again, Paul gave a lighthearted chuckle at my lack of knowledge regarding a subject he thought I should’ve been well-rehearsed on.  “ _If my whole world is gone, then why would I fight to defend a plot of land? That’s why Daddy is so… territorial of you.  I’m not just being some possessive prick, I’m making sure you’re safe._ ”

Again, there Paul went spouting on those sweet nothings that I’m sure were just liners meant to chip away at my heart.  Well, although they were totally cute, I wasn’t going to fall for them.  “Oh, okay,” I muttered, unsure of what else to say to the man.  Seriously, how is someone supposed to respond to a werewolf telling them that they’re their whole world? I’ve never had to deal with that before!

I could hear Paul huff over the phone, disappointed that I didn’t give in to his candy-coated words.  “ _Well anyways_ ,” he said, putting on an authoritative tone, “ _I know that the rules I gave you stated to leave your window cracked open a little bit so that Daddy could sneak in, remember?_ ”

Unfortunately.  “Yes,” I winced, dreading what he could be leading up to.

“ _I need you to keep it shut, ‘kay?_ ”

That would not be a problem whatsoever!  “Really?” I giddily asked, unsure if I were hearing him correctly.  I’d literally just received the list of rules not even fifteen minutes ago, and already Paul was telling me that I could go ahead and not follow them.  Awesome.

“ _Well, don’t sound too happy about that, Baby_ ,” Paul scoffed, “ _‘cause Daddy really wants to hold you tonight.  I miss you already…  But there’s some business that I have to attend to this weekend.  So if there’s any emergency, call Ellie._ ”

Paul was the alpha of the Crescent City Pack, so I assume that means that he has to deal with some pretty big supernatural stuff.  “Um, i-is everything alright?” I nervously wondered, my entire body instantly trembling at the thought of even more werewolves in the area, especially after what Paul had revealed to me.  Plus, that stupid and annoying voice in the back of my skull worriedly inquired if I’d be safe without Daddy in the area— oh God!

I nearly dropped my new phone as I panicked over the mental slip that I’d just experienced.  I’d just accidentally referred to Paul as “Daddy” in my mind, and without any form of coercion at all!  What is wrong with me?!  I must have hit my head earlier and am delirious— that’s the only explanation.  Paul is “Paul”, not “Daddy”!

“ _Don’t worry, Baby_ ,” Paul cooed, doing absolutely nothing to calm my nerves, “ _it’s just some routine patrolling that Daddy has to do in order to make sure our territory’s fine.  Just do Daddy a favor and stay inside this weekend, and if you have to go out, do it while the sun’s up.  Understand?_ ”

Yeah, after everything that’s been revealed to me, I’ll probably lock myself away in my bedroom for the rest of my life.  “O-okay,” I whimpered, having to sit down on the edge of my bed to keep from toppling onto the floor out of sheer over-exhaustion from everything that’s been thrusted my way recently.

“ _Thank you_ ,” Paul breathed, sounding extremely relieved.  “ _I gotta go, Baby.  But remember to call me later tonight to tell me how your day went, ‘kay?_ ”

Oh boy, I can’t wait to tell Paul in excruciating detail all about how I huddled underneath my blanket like a chicken.  “Alright.”

“ _Okay, Baby.  I love you, please remember that_ ,” Paul added.  “ _Before I hang up though, I wanna hear it: What’s my name?_ ” Even though he was miles away (I hope), I could perfectly envision the cocky grin on Paul’s face as he tried to pester me into calling him a certain name that I really didn’t feel like saying lest I lose my sanity.

Still, if my previous accident had really been just a little mental slip and not something of the Freudian variety, then I should be able to simply refer to Paul as… a certain something, like it was nothing.  I sharply inhaled and whispered, “Daddy.”

My heart sped up and I could feel my boxer briefs get tighter.  Shoot, even a tingling sensation traveled throughout my fingers and toes, making my entire body feel staticky as I called Paul, “Daddy”— dang.  Again, my chest lurched and I had to grit my teeth to prevent myself from saying it out loud again.

Paul growled deeply with pleasure on the other line.  “ _Good boy_ ,” he growled.  “ _I gotta go now, but call Daddy once the sun goes down.  I love you, Baby._ ”  Then he hung up.

This couldn’t be happening!  I tossed the phone onto the mattress as if it were toxic, curling up into a little ball to try to rationalize my bodily sensations.  Okay, so whenever I, myself, called Paul “Daddy”— wow, that sent a shockwave throughout my body and I could literally feel my hormones multiplying on a grand scale.  But why?!  Sure the man was sexy as can be and I’d been bitten by him which had caused my heat the other night, but I thought that the heat had passed; so why was I getting all hot and bothered by calling Paul… something? Maybe it was just the word?

Yeah, that could be it.  Perhaps I have an underlying Daddy!Kink that was brought to life only recently.  There really was only way to double check this theory though, and it was dangerous.  But I had to test my hypothesis in order to prove to myself and to the world that Paul Martinez is not my Daddy… darn, my cock was rock hard; at least my jeans could conceal it for now.

Swallowing loudly, I left my bedroom and walked down the hall and approached Jonathan’s room.  This was a stupid idea… no, that was a ludicrous understatement.  I couldn’t come up with an adjective negative enough in order to describe the idea that had filtered in through my mind.  The way I saw it, I just liked the word and not the person.  Therefore, if I was able to definitively separate the two and still experience the same pleasurable reactions that I am whenever I call Paul “Daddy”— *sigh, my dick was really aching now, especially when I said Daddy and imagined Paul’s bulging muscles in my mind… okay, focus!  Anyways, if I still felt the same tingling when I applied the word to someone else, then that would mean that I’m in the clear and not suffering from some perverted syndrome that attracted me to werewolves who were twice my age.

I knocked on Jonathan’s door, already calling myself every profanity in the book.  “Um, Jonathan?” I croaked out, my voice hoarse from my nerves.

“What?” he barked from the other side, stomping over and swinging the door wide open.  He was shirtless and had a large pink mark on his gut from where he’d been splashed with the scalding coffee.  The difference between him and Paul was striking!  Despite the obvious height differences, whereas Paul looked like an amateur bodybuilder without his shirt on, Jonathan looked like a fuzzy Pillsbury Doughboy.  

For a brief second, I stood silently, trying to figure out a nonchalant way to test my theory.  “Um, I w-was wondering if there was anything th-that we needed in the house,” I stuttered, anxiously twirling my fingers in front of me as I spoke to the irritated man.  “‘Cause if there is, I can go to the store for you… D-Dude.”  I chickened out.

Jonathan rolled his eyes.  “You know that you’re not allowed to drive the van anymore,” he sneered.  “But yes, we do need to go grocery shopping.  Let me get dressed and then we can go to the store.”  He began to turn away and I could see my window of opportunity rapidly closing, meaning that I’d have to spend all weekend potentially wondering if I were attracted to Paul or not.

Now or never…

“Okay… Daddy.”

Awkward silence…

Both Jonathan and I stood in uncomfortable quiet after I’d called him the D-word.  Sadly, I didn’t feel any kind of electrifying sensations.  I felt like I had to go throw up my intestines and then die in a hole somewhere, plus I was now totally soft.  I’m in trouble.

My stepdad was wide-eyed and looked like he was having an internal war with himself to not rip my head off.  “Wha— Did you just— Go downstairs and wait for me to get dressed,” Jonathan cringed, slamming the bedroom door on my bright red face.  

Yep, it’s official: I’m an idiot, and I get some sort of sexual pleasure out of calling Paul, “Daddy”… and I’m hard again.

How could this get any worse?!


	19. S A F E

“S A F E” - TRA$H

_I’ll keep you safe in these arms of mine / Hold on to me / Pretty baby / You will see / I can be all you need_   
****

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

**[Darren, The Hospital]**   
****

_“Well you lucked out, Mr. Estrada,” the doctor hummed as he helped me up to my feet from the hospital bed.  Vincent, my mom, and even Jonathan were there to help me home since I was still a little dizzy.  “Your CT scan showed no signs of internal bleeding, so it looks like this is just a minor concussion.  Maybe take a day or two off from school to get some rest and you should be all better in no time.”_

_“So I have to pay a frickin’ hospital bill just to be told that the boy needs rest?” Jonathan hissed to himself, shaking his head irritably._

_My mom ignored him, looking at me and my boyfriend (my parents thought that we were just heterosexual, platonic friends).  “How did this happen again?” she asked, not quite believing our cover story._

_“Darren here mouthed off to the wrong people at the movies,” Vincent piped up, clamping a large and heavy hand down onto my shoulder.  “And they put him in his place.”_

_That’s obviously not what had happened.  Vincent and I had gone to the movies.  We’d sat in the back and I’d accidentally spilt our soda all over this lap, and he’d responded by slamming his closed fist into the side of my head.  My ears rang and I even threw up into the empty cup— it was torture.  But because Vincent had spent so much money on our tickets, he’d demanded that we stay and finish the film before taking me to the hospital.  All of the blinking lights on the screen coupled with my splitting headache and extreme nausea made life utterly miserable.  However, since I’d been fearful of more retaliation, I kept my mouth shut and desperately tried to stay awake and not pass out in the dang movie theater._

_Jonathan cocked his eyebrow and glanced between me and my boyfriend.  “Darren? Mouthing off?” he questioned, not believing our cover story either._

_“Oh, Sweetie,” my mom cooed, gently rubbing small circles on my back, “you need to learn how to control your temper.  You should’ve kept your cool, like your friend Vincent.”  She then turned to him.  “Thank you by the way for taking him here.  I really appreciate it, and I’m so relieved that my son has a good friend like you.”_

_“Yeah…” Jonathan slurred, still narrowing his eyes at us._

_I should’ve said something.  I even opened my mouth to blurt out that Vincent had been the one to give me this concussion— shoot, there was a security officer out in the waiting room who had a taser attached to his belt!  But still, because I’m terminally stupid, I remained silent and just wobbled out of the ER, Vincent keeping a strong hand on the small of my back to support my weight._

_“You know what?” Mom smiled as we exited the hospital and walked over towards the parking lot.  “Johnny and I are planning on going to California next week to visit Johnny’s dad.  And it would mean a lot to me if someone as level-headed as you could keep an eye on Darren?”_

_I flinched and stared at my mother with wide, pleading eyes.  Okay, my mom’s known me for my entire life, so surely she would know when I was in a dangerous situation and was trying to act out of the ordinary in order for her to know that something wasn’t normal.  I’ve seen that tactic on TV all the time: a character behaves out of character in order to signal that something’s afoot to someone who’s really close to said character._

_Here it goes: “Jonathan, I love you,” I slurred, my face burning bright red with humiliating agony as I desperately tried to inadvertently tell my parents that something was wrong and that I needed their help.  “I know I don’t say it, like, at all.  But you’re a pretty swell guy.”_

_“He is, isn’t he?” my mom beamed, affectionately squeezing Jonathan’s shoulder, who looked like he was about to throw up from my sugary words._

_“Um, thanks, Darren?” he muttered, shaking his head before turning to my boyfriend who stood right beside me, a smirk forming on his nauseous face.  “Vincent, I agree with Laura that it’d be a great idea for you to keep an eye on Darren here.  In fact, I’ll even have a spare key made for you.”_

_“Thank you very much for your trust in me,” Vincent said, putting on his fake-polite voice that he only reserved for people he wanted something from.  “I give you my word that I won’t let Darren out of my sight.”_

_I’m dead.  I’m so dead.  My legs felt wobbly and I would’ve collapsed onto the cement below had Vincent not had his strong arm secured around me._

_Jonathan smirked to himself, his eyes darting between my frantic face and Vincent’s smug expression.  “Yeah,” he grinned, “I know you’ll take care of him.”_

**| ू･᷄ω･᷅)｡oOஇo｡**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

After my humiliating experiment, I was faced with the cold hard results: I liked calling Paul, and only Paul, “Daddy”.  
 ****

This was terrible!  Paul was supposed to be the perverted one in the relationship… uh, I mean, Paul was a pervert and we were not in a relationship!  That’s what I meant to say, honest.

The drive to the grocery store had been filled to the brim with audible tension.  Jonathan would sharply exhale through his nose every few seconds, darting a scrutinizing glare in my direction as he blasted country music over the staticky radio.  Meanwhile, I tried with all of my might to stare out the window at the fog-covered town, pretending that the numerous trees were far more interesting than the fact that I’d called my stepdad, “Daddy”… man, I hope Paul doesn’t find out.

Once we arrived at the grocery store, I literally flung my body out of the vehicle, desperate to not be trapped in an enclosed space with the aggressive man anymore.  “I-I’ll go grab a cart!” I hesitantly called out, trying to make it look like I was eager to go grocery shopping and not trying to run away from my stepdad.

Jonathan just grunted, slowly following behind me.

The moment I entered the small grocery store, the cashier perked up and inhaled deeply through his nose, a knowing look crossing his face.  Okay, that was weird…  I’d taken a shower before leaving the house, so I shouldn’t reek of B.O. or anything like that.  Jonathan caught up and ripped the list that he’d made at the house in half, handing me the bottom portion.  

“We’ll split up and get this shit down a lot quicker,” he mumbled, already storming off towards the produce aisle.  “Send me a text with your new phone number so I can let you know when I’m done.”

“O-okay!” I called to him, pulling the iPhone that Paul had bought for me out from my back pocket to text Jonathan my new number before gathering groceries.

Dang, the last time I was here at this grocery store was when I’d had that moment with Paul, and then he’d given a ride home on his motorcycle.  I’d been terrified at the time, however, there was now a butterfly sensation that I could feel in the pit of my stomach whenever I recalled having my arms wrapped around his muscular bulk while riding that tiny bike of his.  Oh man, this was bad.  It seemed that ever since I was bitten in the forest by Paul, I couldn’t help but view him in a different light.  Whereas he used to be scary and menacing and a nuisance, he was now sexy and attractive… and still a nuisance.

Whatever though.  I shook my head and pushed the cart over to the opposite end of the store than Jonathan.  Glancing at the half-list in my hand, I saw that we generally just needed some of the basic items from the store such as eggs, butter, milk, and the likes.  Not too difficult.

I serpentined my way throughout the aisles, making sure to grab the generic brands of whatever we needed because otherwise Jonathan would complain that he was always having to spend too much on me.  Once I reached the aisle with the crackers, I saw that Jonathan had written down that we needed Cheez-Itz, but he preferred the parmesan flavor over the original; and of course, the parmesan was on the top shelf, way out of my reach.  Darn my size!

I stood on my tip-toes, but couldn’t quite reach the box of crackers.  Man, if I don’t get my stepdad’s favorite snack, then he’ll complain non-stop for the entire drive back to the house.  And there were some things that I just could not deal with today, or for the rest of my life.  I knew that I was on the short side of the male spectrum, but my fingertips couldn’t even brush the top shelf, illustrating how exaggerated my shortness really was.

“Would you like some help, Alpha Mate?” a deep voice asked from behind me.

I jumped around, my heart beating loudly in my chest.  Behind me was a worker who wore the required green apron that the rest of the employees wore.  Frantically, I looked to my right and left to double check that my stepdad wasn’t within earshot and hadn’t heard me being referred to as “Alpha Mate”.

The employee help his hands up in a surrendering motion.  “I’m sorry,” he frowned.  “I didn’t mean to scare you.  I just saw that you were having trouble reaching the box of crackers.”  He stepped forward and, with ease, grabbed the Cheez-Itz off the top shelf and handed them to me.

“Th-thank you,” I stuttered, incredibly unsure how to react to this situation.  I wasn’t unfamiliar to having to ask for assistance when it came to reaching things that were in high spots, however, I wasn’t used to having people helping me just because I was Paul’s mate.  The way the guy whom I didn’t even recognize spoke to me was filled with such respect that it made me feel a bit antsy.

“Of course,” the employee who was evidently a werewolf nodded.  “Please let me know if there’s anyway else I can assist you.”

“O-okay,” I mumbled.

The werewolf turned to go back to his station when he paused.  “Although,” he added, a hint of a smirk detectable in his words, “if you had your Daddy with you, then he could reach anything on the top shelf for you all the time.”

“What?” I coughed, accidentally dropping the crackers in my shock.

The worker didn't respond and carried on his way, leaving me confused and utterly embarrassed.  As if my day couldn’t have gotten any more weirder!  Paul must’ve set this guy up to doing this to to me, that was the only explanation!  Why else would some random person infer that I need a, *ahem, Daddy in order to help me perform daily functions?! 

“It’s okay,” I whispered to myself, trying to get my hands to stop shaking.  I’m sure that it was just a fluke.  Forcing my heart to stop beating like a snare, I resumed my shopping, averting my gaze from the worker who seemed to be supervising me like a school chaperone… ugh.

**(๑ ˊ͈ ᐞ ˋ͈ )ƅ̋**

The grocery store incident had to have been just a random occurrence that would never happen again.  I didn’t get time to study every single face present at the Mating Run the other night, but it’d appeared that Paul had a decently sized pack.  If I had to guess, I’d assume that his pack consisted of around one-hundred members; Crescent City had a population of just over six thousand.  Therefore, I had roughly around a one-and-a-half percent chance of running into one of the pack members while out in public.

However, that didn’t prevent me from hiding out in my bedroom again as soon as Jonathan and I returned home from the grocery store.  Over and over, I thanked God that my stepdad hadn’t been present when the grocery store employee teased that I needed my Daddy.  If he’d overheard, then I’d be dead— no exaggeration.

I’d spent the day playing _Pokémon Ultrasun_ , desperate to distract myself from werewolves and Daddies… although overtime I ran into Lycanroc and that plan flew out of the window.

Sighing, I turned off my 3DS and stumbled downstairs to search for something to eat.  The sun had already set, and my conscience stupidly told me that it was time to call Paul since he’d asked me to check in with him whenever it was sunset… nope.  The man may have bought me an expensive iPhone, but that didn’t automatically translate into me being required to follow his orders regarding said phone.  But just to avoid any awkward phone calls, I left the phone upstairs in my covers as I ventured to the ground floor.

“Hey, Darren,” Howie smiled at me as soon as I entered the kitchen.  He was seated at the table, filling out a crossword puzzle book.  “What’s an eight letter word for ‘Peaceful’?

“Tranquil?” I suggested, opening up the fridge and frowning.  Even though we’d gone grocery shopping this morning, there still wasn’t a thing in the house that I wanted to eat.  Part of that was because I was a little picky eater and because I was too lazy to cook anything.

“Thanks,” Howie said, scribbling the offered answer into his book.  “Oh yeah, I already ordered us a pizza since Johnny went out for the night.  Hope you like olives.”

“I do, thank you,” I said, relieved that I wouldn’t have to search for something that I didn’t really want.  Plus, I was happy that Jonathan would be out of the house for the night, allowing me to not have to constantly walk on eggshells while inside.  I grabbed a Pepsi from the fridge and took a seat across from the elderly man. 

I knew that he was in on what Paul had done, there was no way he couldn’t be.  Although I’d originally planned on distancing myself from the werewolf, I seemed to be unable to get the irritating man out of my mind.  Therefore, I figured that it’d be best if I get some dirt on him in order to gain an upper hand in this bizarre dynamic that we had.

“So, Howie,” I murmured, my cheeks already burning as I prepped myself to ask questions about Paul, a.k.a. Daddy, “h-how did you know about Paul? Like, d-do you know that…” I waved my hand around, trying to get him to pick up on what I was asking without blurting out the existence of werewolves in case I was wrong.

Howie glanced up from his crossword puzzle.  “Do I know that Paul’s in love with you?” he finished, giving me a toothy smile.  “Of course, I do.  The boy’s so obvious in the way he got ya that flashy cellular phone and the way he’s alway patrollin’ behind the community like a guard dog.”

“He’s what?” I asked, nearly dropping my can of soda at the mentioning of Paul stalking around my neighborhood.  I know that it shouldn’t come as a big shock, but it still sent a pang of worry throughout me… along with an odd warm feeling in my chest.

Howie cocked his eyebrow at me, looking me up and down.  “Son, you’re aware that Paul’s a werewolf, right?” he questioned, speaking very slowly as if he were talking to a toddler.  “‘Cause if you don’t, then you’re pretty dense.”

…yeah, I kinda am.

“I worked for the sheriff’s department back in the day,” Howie went on, “and my chief stumbled upon a… uh, I guess you’d call them vampires.  Anyways, he found a vampire and the darn thing nearly killed him if not for the Crescent City Pack who saved his ass.  And ever since then, the police force here works with your mate’s pack, and vice versa.”

“How’d you know Paul’s my mate—”

“We kept the werewolves’ existence a secret, and they helped to keep our citizens safe.”  Howie leaned back in his seat, a small smile on his wrinkly face.  “I ‘member meeting Paul for the first time.  The little pup was about eleven and he’d wanted to grow up to be a Spice Girl.”

“Really?” I chuckled, happy that I now had some kind of ammunition against the man.

Even Howie giggled at his memory.  “Yeah, it was pretty funny,” he laughed.  “But don’t tell him that I told ya, or else he’ll complain nonstop.  And don’t tell him that I let you know that Little Johnny once snuck laxatives into Paul’s drink before a big school assembly… it was messy.”  He shook his head slowly, pursing his thin, chapped lips.  “Yeah, those two never got along.”

Jonathan doesn’t get along with anyone except for himself though.

“So,” I paused, thinking over Howie’s words, “Paul must’ve talked to you about me before, didn’t he?”

Howie waved his hand at me.  “The guy wouldn’t shut up about you!” he exclaimed.  “It was always, ‘Has Darren said anything about me?’, ‘How’s Darren doin’ in school?’, ‘Is Darren seeing anyone?’, ‘Don’t you think Darren has the cutest smile?’ Seriously, he’s like some overzealous fangirl.”

I’d had a sinking feeling before that Howie and Paul were in cohorts with one another, however, I had no clue that a large chunk of their conversations consisted of Paul dreamily asking about my quirks like a school kid with a crush.  As much as I hated to admit it, the idea of the resident Alpha bad boy (who so many people feared and respected) having a soft spot for some little nerdy kid was really cute… and I’d totally binge out on that manga.  However, because it was my actual life— yeah, it was still pretty cute and irritating; but still cute.

The doorbell rang, interrupting me from my train of thought.

Howie reached into his pocket, handing me thirty dollars.  “Can you pay the guy?” he asked me.  “And tell ‘em to keep the change.”

“Okay,” I hummed, grabbing the cash and heading towards the front door.  I opened it up and froze as I took in the appearance of the pizza boy… I’ve seen him somewhere before, I just know it.  Usually my memory sucks when it comes to faces and names, but I swear up and down that I’ve seen this pimply teen someplace besides my front porch.

The pizza boy erected his posture and squared his shoulders, holding out the pizza box in front of him in a presentable manner.  “Here you go, Alpha Mate,” he said in a voice drenched in respect.

Oh…

“Th-thank you,” I stuttered, once again feeling nervous as to why all of these strangers were treating me like I was the frickin’ Queen of England.  I was technically Paul’s mate, and Paul was their Alpha, but that didn’t mean that I was anyone important!  I was accustomed to people treating me like garbage and I’d grown rather attached to being invisible.  My own parents and even Vincent had created the illusion that on the social ladder, I inhabited the very last rung.

I gratefully took the pizza, my mouth watering as I smelt the melted cheese.  I held out the money for the delivery person to take, but he shook his head.

“You don’t have to pay, Alpha Mate,” he assured me.  “For you, it’s on the house.”

Well, if Paul had mentioned that free pizza was a part of the entire “Mating” thingy at first, then I’d probably wouldn’t have been so hesitant.  Uh, I mean I wasn’t going to sell out for cheesy goodness.  I held the money back out, already feeling guilty if the pizza guy gets in trouble from his boss for giving away free pizza.  “Um, at least accept a tip?” I offered, giving a corny smile.

The delivery boy’s grin grew larger and he eagerly grabbed the cash from me.  “Thank you very much, Alpha Mate!” he grinned.  “I’ll make sure to suggest to your Daddy to order you pizza whenever you want!  See ya!”  He spun around on his heels and scurried off down the driveway towards his car.

Wh-what?!  Again, someone from Paul’s pack had referred to him as Daddy!  What the hell is going on around here? Still, I stuffed my face with delicious pizza as I tried to contemplate what was happening to my life… mmm, pizza.

**Σ(-᷅_-᷄๑)**

_Bzzrt!  Bzzrt!_

I cracked open my eyes, discovering that it was still pitch black outside meaning that it was the middle of the night.  My new iPhone was vibrating on the floor next to my mattress and the screen was brightly lit, telling me that I had an incoming call.  Because I’d just been woken up, my cognitive abilities weren’t all the way up there, so I just slapped at the screen until the vibrating stopped.

With the new phone came a new phone number, which translated to Vincent not having my number.  Therefore, there was no need for me to have to monitor my calls and worry about him trying to contact me.  That peaceful thought helped to lull my body back into its sleepy state that had been so difficult to begin in the first place.  Seriously, the bed was too cold and I’d tossed and turned for hours before I managed to get any shut eye.

_Bzzrt!  Bzzrt!_ the phone began to vibrate again with another call.

Sighing, I snatched the iPhone off of the hardwood floor and glanced at the bright screen with squinted eyes, groaning aloud when I saw the contact picture that Paul had inserted for himself: Yet another shirtless pic of himself flexing his massive muscles, performing a stomach crunch this time.  I’d already changed my wallpaper to a photo of Mothra which had seemed innocent enough, and now it was obvious that I’d have to poke through every crook and cranny of the phone in order to make sure it was safe if I ever left it lying around for Jonathan to sneak through.

I pressed the green button, pulling the phone up to my ear in a dreamy haze.  “Hello?” I yawned, having a difficult time keeping my eyes open.  As I’d glanced at the lame picture of Daddy— um, Paul, I’d noticed that it was two in the morning.  I was so tired!

“ _Baby_ ,” Paul disappointedly tsked, “ _you didn’t call Daddy when you were supposed to.  Don’t you know how worried I was about you?_ ”

Oh yeah, I had been expected to call Paul once the sun set to check in with him.  Obviously I didn’t mainly because I didn’t feel like it and because I’d been a hormonal mess all day!  All throughout the day, I’d been struggling with his pack members and my kinky references to Daddy!Kinks.  The last thing I’d wanted to do was speak to the infamous “Daddy” directly.

“My bad,” I mumbled, my words slurring together as I fought with all of my inner strength to stay awake.  I knew that the man would really prefer for me to give him a great excuse as to why I didn’t call him, however my melatonin levels were dangerously high, so I couldn’t quite come up with one at the moment.

“ _And why didn’t you call Daddy?_ ” he grilled.  Called it.

“…uh, I forgot your number?” I wondered, shoving my face into the pillow out of sheer exhaustion.  “Paul, I’m so tired!  Can we not do this right now?”

Paul made a clicking sound with his tongue.  “ _Baby, you’re starting to get an attitude with Daddy_ ,” he warned and I envisioned him wagging his finger at me in a condescending manner.  “ _‘Cause you need to remember that I’m the Daddy and you’re the Baby.  Or do I need to show you who you belong to when I get home?_ ”

Okay, I’ll admit it: I may not think on my toes very well, especially when I’ve just been woken up.  Despite my past with Vincent whenever I’d mouthed off at him, I found something bubbling up inside of me… I think it’s called “Sass”.

“Ooh, I’m so scared,” I mocked, rolling my eyes. 

“ _Darren_ ,” Paul growled, using that parental voice I’d heard him use on Ronnie before, “ _I’m not too far away from Crescent City.  I can be there in under two hours and have my cock shoved so far up your ass that you’ll have to be carried everywhere tomorrow._ ”

“…I’m sorry I didn’t call,” I whimpered, trembling the smallest bit underneath my covers.  “It honestly escaped my mind… Daddy.”  I made sure to add that last part to both appease Paul and… my kinky mind.  Sure enough, my chest fluttered again and I heard Paul’s satisfied moan on the other end.  Plus, despite feeling creeped out by Paul’s threat, I couldn’t deny the rush of blood to my cock at his domineering words.

Ugh, what’s happening to me?

“ _Good boy_ ,” he cooed, his deep voice growly and still oh-so full of authority.  “ _Now, do you promise to call Daddy when he tells you to?_ ”

“Y-yes, Daddy,” I stuttered, grateful that we were having this conversation over the phone instead of in person.  Had I been forced to hear Paul’s authoritative voice while referring to him as “Daddy” while staring at his massive muscles, I probably would have lost my pants.  Luckily, the anonymity of the phone helped me to keep my sanity.  But I couldn’t focus on my jumbled up emotions regarding the Alpha werewolf, so I decided to talk about something— anything else.  “So, um, how’s the patrolling thing coming along?”

Paul let out a loud yawn on the other end.  “ _It’s coming along_ ,” he grunted.  “ _For the past twelve hours, we’ve been chasing this vampire coven all throughout the neighboring territory, and I think we’ve almost got them out._ ”

I huddled even deeper into my blankets, shivering with fear at the thought of vampires being so close to me and my house.  I didn’t have any cloves of garlic to protect myself, but I think Jonathan had bought some frozen garlic bread at the grocery store earlier today… so maybe I could wield the bread loaf like a sword if one of the monsters came my way.

“ _And now we’re taking a little break, so I wanted to call you and check up on you since I haven’t heard from you all day_ ,” Paul continued, his tone taking on a devious quality.  “ _And, I wanted to try something out with you._ ”

“Wh-what?” I asked.

I heard the older man chuckle to himself, and I knew that he was wearing his copyrighted smirk right now.  “ _Oh Baby_ ,” he moaned, “ _Daddy’s so, so horny right now.  Talk dirty to me while I jerk off, ‘kay?_ ” I could hear the metallic clinking of a belt buckle being undone in the background, and Paul’s breathing became labored… oh my gosh, he was pleasuring himself on the phone right now.

I flinched and felt my face burst into flames.  “B-but I don’t know h-how to talk dirty!” I protested.  Whenever I’d had sex with Vincent, I’d almost always been silent except for the occasional yelp or cry of pain.  My trademarked M.O. had been to just lay there and pretend to be a mannequin!

Paul chuckled again.  “ _Holy crap, you’re so cute, Baby_ ,” he laughed.  “ _Just tell me what you’d do if Daddy was there.  Imagine that I’m lying naked right next to you in bed.  What would you do?_ ”

Sleep? Cringe? Ask Paul to put some clothes on? Pretend that I was somewhere else? Get my butt kicked because Jonathan walked in and saw us?

“Uh, I dunno,” I foolishly admitted.  “I would, uh, t-take my clothes off?” That sounded like a safe place to start.

“ _Mm-hmm_ ,” Paul hummed, “ _and then what?_ ”

My mind was a total blank.  The resources in my brain consisted of mathematical formulas and conjugations of foreign languages.  I’d have a better chance at giving someone directions to their local train station in Spanish than I would at getting them to cum… hey!  There’s an idea!

“Um, Daddy?” I asked, trying very hard to stop the clownish smile that was beginning to hurt my face.  “I think it’d be, um, hotter if I did this in Spanish, ya know? Because it’s a romanticized language?”

“ _Um, Daddy doesn’t understand Spanish_ ,” Paul muttered, sounding like he wasn’t too into the idea.

“I’ll make sure to roll my R’s a lot then,” I said, flipping over onto my back so that I could get comfortable to get a man to jerk off to my not-so sexy voice.  Seriously though, I’ve heard recordings of my voice before, and it was so not soothing at all.  Paul must be extremely horny if he was getting off to me of all people.

Paul made a clicking sound that seemed like he was going to protest, but then he agreed.  “ _Okay, Baby_ ,” he cooed, “ _whatever you’re more comfortable with.  I’m already rock hard anyway._ ”

Hehe…

“ _¿Dónde está la biblioteca? Quiero leer un libro para mi clase de inglés_ ,” I said, making sure to over-exaggerate my R-sounds so that it seemed like I was purring.  Plus, I drew out my words, attempting to sound as sultry as possible.

“ _O-kay_ ,” Paul panted, his breathing speeding up.  “ _Keep goin’._ ”

“ _Cuando voy al zoo, me gusta mirar a las focas_.”

“ _Oh yeah… wait, ‘_ Zoo’?” Paul asked, all traces of sexual pleasure gone from his voice.  “ _Are you even taking this seriously?_ ”

“Um, ‘ _Zoo_ ’ means ‘Penis’ in Spanish,” I lied, bummed that I’d been figured out so soon.  I suppose that the problem with trying to fool an English-speaker with Spanish is that a lot of the words sound similar to one another.  I should’ve taken a Chinese course.

“ _Really?_ ” Paul scoffed, sounding a little annoyed but nowhere near as peeved as Jonathan or Vincent had ever been.  “ _‘Cause I took German, and in German ‘_ Zoo _’ means ‘Zoo’, like the place with animals._ ”

“W-well I don’t know how to dirty talk!” I whined.  “I tried to tell you that earlier.  Whenever I had sex, I just lied there!  I have to tell you Paul, I’m kind of a noob when it comes to this extra stuff.”  It was humiliating how blatantly obvious it was that I was so sexually inexperienced.  Seriously, I was seventeen in an American high school and the only thing I knew how to do sexually was to do as I was told.

“ _Wait_ ,” Paul snarled, his voice growing deeper with rage, “ _you’re— you’re not a virgin? Like, someone’s had sex with you before Daddy?_ ”

“Um, y-yeah?” I hesitantly answered, unsure of why that’d bother Paul so much.  I mean, if I wanted to, I could turn around and point out the fact that he’d slept with my own mother seventeen years ago.  For that matter, I’m seventeen as well, so he was kind of old enough to be my dad.  Anyways, so what does it matter if I’m not a virgin?

Paul was silent for a moment, just his deep breathing audible.  “ _Oh_ ,” he finally spat, “ _and, just out of curiosity, who was it and where do they live?_ ”

“Um, Texas,” I replied, although I was certain that if Vincent had been telling the truth and he was on his way up to Crescent City to get me, then he’d probably be in either Arizona or Southern California by now.  Or, he might even already be here… dang that’s scary.  Just the sheer thought of my ex-boyfriend being within the same state as me sent a shiver of fear throughout my body as I continued to cower in my tiny bed.

Paul sighed and there was some muffling noises on the other end.  “ _Yeah_ ,” he muttered, “ _I don’t quite have the funds to go to Texas to kick some country fried ass… i-it wasn’t Jonathan, right?_ ”

“Eww!” I recoiled, actually spitting up in my mouth.  I swallowed back down the acidic bile, spasming out of intense disgust that couldn’t even be measured on an earthly scale.  My stomach churned and the bone marrow within my skull curdled at the thought of having to have Jonathan’s teeny weenie anywhere near my butt!  “What is wrong with you? That man’s like my dad— I’d never have sex with my dad!”

“ _…yeah…_ ”

“Paul, it’s getting late, so if there’s anything else you’d like to say to give me nightmares, please get it out of your system now.”

The man huffed.  “ _Well actually there was something that I wanted to do with you_ ,” he purred, his voice taking back on his Daddy quality.  “ _Take off your clothes._ ”

“You can’t be serious, Paul…”

“ _Oh I am, and don’t call me ‘Paul’_ ,” the man urged.  “ _I believe I instructed you to call me ‘Daddy’.  Keep breaking my rules and I’ll bend you over my knee as soon as I return.  Now.  Take.  Off.  Your.  Clothes._ ”  I don’t know why, but his gruff, demanding voice sent a spark of excitement throughout me, and before I could rationalize it, I was eagerly yanking my clothes off my pale body.

“O-okay,” I panted, unsure why I’d obeyed, “now what?” My heart was racing and my fingers twitched with sexual excitement, my cock inflating.

“ _Gimme a sec_ ,” Paul mumbled, fumbling with something on his end.  “ _Okay—_ ”  He was interrupted by a beeping notification noise on my phone.  I pulled it away from my face and saw that the screen indicated that Paul was trying to start up a video chat with me.

Oh God!  Paul had seen my naked form before, so it was nothing new to him… but still!  I was shy and incredibly insecure!  Quickly, I yanked my covers up to my neck before accepting the call.

On the small glowing screen, Paul popped up, looking like he was in a shoddy motel room instead of his shoddy apartment.  Either way, he always seemed to be accepting lackluster things to sleep in/with.  His smile grew large and his werewolf fangs poked out of his mouth that was framed with a dark stubble from not shaving today.  “ _Hey Baby_ ,” he cooed, “ _it’s so nice to see your face.  I really missed your smile all day._ ”  Although I couldn’t see his entire body, I didn’t doubt for a second that he was completely nude as well.  All I saw from him was his head and bare, broad shoulders that touched both ends of the phone.

“H-hi,” I shyly mumbled, tucking my head into my chest to hide from the smoldering hot man.  “S-so why the video ch-chat?”

Paul’s smirk grew larger and his video moved downwards… giving me a quick glimpse of his erect cock.  Although it was slightly pixelated, it didn’t fail to make me jerk back at its immense girth… dang.

“ _I just wanted to show ya what kinda power you hold over me_ ,” Paul explained, directing the screen back up to his face as he licked his lips.  “ _Now, be a good boy and do everything Daddy tells you.  Understand?_ ”

Silently, I nodded.

He spit into his free hand and went to work pumping away at his cock.  “ _Now, show Daddy your body_ ,” he ordered, his breathing growing labored as he pleasured himself.  “ _I wanna see every inch of you._ ”

And right then I froze.  Paul has seen me naked before, but in that instance I’d been under the influence of the heat that warped my mind into a horny mess.  Call me a prude, call me whatever, but I don’t like showing off my body.  Whenever Vincent and I had had sex, we’d always kept the room pitch black to offer myself some shroud of dignity/comfort.  Shoot, I didn’t even swim without a shirt on!  The thought of being on full display to a werewolf who was jerking himself off (Wow, I never thought this would happen to me…) seemed as terrifying as those nightmares where I’d wind up at school naked.  

“Uhh, pass,” I muttered, having no intention of showing off to the man.

“ _Baby_ ,” Paul sternly warned, narrowing his yellow eyes at me.  “ _Daddy wants to see you._ ”

I bit down on my lower lip, my face blushing profusely.  “C-can’t we try the dirty talking again?” I offered as an alternative.  “Like, uh, you’re a filthy… um, prostitute… I’m sorry.”

Paul chuckled and shook his head, letting go of his cock and pinching the skin above his nose.  “ _Oh Baby_ ,” he groaned, “ _my sweet baby.  What happened to you? I mean, what kind of idiot made you feel so bad about yourself?_ ”

Vincent, Jonathan, Mom, my gym coach, my doctor, me… the list goes on.

“ _‘Cause you’re beautiful_ ,” Paul breathed, looking me dead in the eye as he faced his camera head on, no sign of joking detectable in his face at all.  “ _I’m being serious, Darren, you’re the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on.  And sometimes I think to myself, ‘Really? He’s all mine? That can’t be true ‘cause I’m big fuck up, and he’s an angel.’  And then I start to feel like shit because you’re stuck with me; so I promise myself everyday that I’ll worship you and try to make it up to you.  I mean, it feels like a miracle from above when I get to see your beautiful smile._ ”

“…”  I was stunned silent.

“ _I love you, Darren.  Always have, always will.  No matter what._ ”

I’ve heard sweet words and phrases before, but this time as I stared into the phone screen at Paul’s stone-smooth face, I could tell that he was sincere.  A-and, I wasn’t exactly sure how to process the thought of someone finding me attractive.  It was so foreign.

“Th-thank you,” I whispered, the butterflies in my stomach all emerging from their cocoons and swarming like crazy.

Paul chuckled, a pink hue coming to his face.  “ _Crack open your window, Baby_ ,” he grinned.  “ _Daddy’s on his way.  I’ll see you in a bit.  And remember: I love you with all of my heart._ ”  The screen went black as the video chat ended.

Under any normal circumstances, I’d be petrified with having Paul come over to my house.  However, Jonathan was at his “secret” girlfriend’s and I was still high on the fuzzy elation that Paul had given me from his sweet, soothing words.  Therefore, after pulling my clothes back on, I scurried over to my bedroom window, shoving it open at least four inches.  I then flopped back onto my mattress and waited for Daddy to come (hehe, gotta love that double entendre).

**(*⌒▽⌒*)θ～♪**

“Hello? Anybody awake?”

…Zzzz…

“Oh, Alpha Mate!  Wakey, wakey!”

…Zzzz… hm?

“If you don’t wake up then I’ll have to bust this window and slit your throat wide open!”

…wha—?

I shot up in bed, looking around my bedroom wildly, my heart beating like crazy in my chest.  It was still dark out and I was all by myself in my bedroom.  Frantically, I grabbed the iPhone that was right beside me and checked the time: 3:53 AM.  I could’ve sworn that I heard a voice just now, sounding like it was inside the bedroom with me, but maybe I’d just had a nightmare.  Shuddering, I pulled my legs up to my torso, childishly wising that Paul was here now to make me feel better.  Since I’d fallen asleep with my window cracked open, my bedroom was incredibly chilly and I shivered beneath my covers.

“It was just a dream,” I murmured to myself, lying back down and holding on tightly to my pillow in the same fashion that I would’ve held onto Paul had he been here.

“You fucking idiot, you’re not asleep,” the same scratchy voice from earlier spat.

I flung the covers off of me and turned on the iPhone’s flashlight, searching every corner of the bedroom.  “I’m w-warning you!” I scaredy stuttered.  “P-Paul Martinez is my mate, and h-he won’t be happy that you’re here bothering me!”  

No matter where I pointed the shining light inside the bedroom, I couldn’t see anyone else.  Maybe I’m going crazy? Still, I wasn’t one-hundred percent stupid… mean voice.  I pressed down on Paul’s icon in the phone and brought it up to my face, whimpering as I backed up against the far wall in my bedroom, finding it increasingly ironic that I appeared like some terrified child calling their Daddy for help from the boogeyman or whoever was taunting me.

There was a tapping on the glass pane of the window and I froze as I looked over in its direction.

An incredibly pale, almost sheet white, man was crouched on my roof, both of his dirty palms flat against my bedroom window as he stared in at me with glowing red eyes.  When our eyes met, he smiled widely at me, his teeth jagged and sharp like a shark’s, some red substance coating his lower mouth, even dripping off it as he smirked at me.  He jet black hair was matted to his forehead from the rain outside and his long fingernails screeched against the glass as his hands twitched.

“Wha—Wha—?!” I squeaked, my body going cold under the monster’s glare.

The man at the window’s smile grew, his fangs poking out of his mouth like a… vampire.  “C’mon, Alpha Mate,” he mocked, “invite me inside.”

“Howie!” I cried, sprinting out of my bedroom and storming out into the hallway, having no clue what to do.

“Invite me inside!” the man shrieked at me as I fled, slamming his fists against the window.  “Now!  Invite me in!”


	20. The Knife

“The Knife” - Zebra & Giraffe

_And if you ever feel the knife / Running down your spine / You’ll know it’s mine / If you never have to feel again that’s fine_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Darren, A Nice Guy]**

_“This party sucks ass,” Vincent groaned, throwing his head back in annoyance.  For once, I completely agreed with my boyfriend.  He’d begged me to accompany him to a party at his cousin’s house, and I’d been a little hesitant since, One: It was party with a bunch of people I didn’t know, and Two: Vincent can be an angry drunk.  However, luckily my boyfriend wasn’t too interested in drinking tonight and quickly grew bored with the teenage party, resulting in the two of us isolating ourselves to the couch._

_“Maybe we should just leave,” I shouted over the music, trying to fight the smile that was growing on my face.  I was never one for parties or for large inebriated crowds, therefore I was mentally praising Vincent’s boredom._

_He slowly nodded to himself.  “Yeah,” he agreed, getting up from the couch and holding out a hand for me.  Since a majority of the party guests here were friends of his cousin who went to a different high school, it was safe for me to have physical contact with another male without our homosexual relationship being the talk of the town._

_Hence, I accepted Vincent’s help and stood directly behind him so that I wouldn’t get separated in the chaotic party that looked like something out of an MTV reality show._

_“Stay here for a sec while I tell Greg that we’re leaving,” he said, positioning me next to the front door, even placing both of his hands onto my shoulders for emphasis._

_I nodded and pressed my back flatly against the wall as Vincent shoved his way through the dancing crowd to go find his cousin.  The rap song that I didn’t recognize blared on the speakers and I shyly waited for my boyfriend in the corner of the house, keeping to myself and trying to look incredibly insignificant so that no one would try to talk to me— it always worked.  Seriously, if I were ever a superhero, then my superpower would be the ability to go unnoticed without the need for invisibility._

_“Hey there!” I heard a voice, snapping me out of my anti-social daze._

_I looked up from staring at my shoes to notice that a cute guy with a killer smile had approached me, holding out a beer as some sort of offering._

_“Here ya go,” the guy said, placing the beer in my numb hand.  “Maybe some alcohol in your system will help you loosen up.  Then I can see that cute smile of yours.”  He gave me a small wink and I involuntarily felt my mouth pull up the smallest bit._

_“Oh, uh, th-thank you,” I stuttered, “b-but I have a—”_

_“There it is,” the guy interrupted, pointing at the grin that had forced its way onto my face due to his sweet words.  “You should smile more often, it looks really good on you.  I’m Halo by the way.”  He held out his hand for me to shake, and I swallowed loudly._

_After taking a quick glance out over the crowd, I accepted the handshake, marveling at how smooth Halo’s skin was.  I should ask what kind of lotion he uses.  “I’m…” I trailed off, seeing the crowd part again and the top of Vincent’s head making its way towards me, my breath hitching, “…uh, M-Michael?” It was the first name to pop into my head for some reason.  I even retracted my hand at a rapid speed._

_Halo frowned for a second, but shook it off.  “Well, that’s a cute name,” he mused, his voice silky smooth and incredibly gentle.  “How about I take you out into the living room and show you a few of my special moves?” He wiggled his eyebrow at the end of his statement, apparently trying to flirt with me._

_My hair stood up on my arms and I felt my stomach drop to the floor as soon as I made eye contact with Vincent.  Poor Halo was oblivious to the hulking young man who stalked his way towards us, seemingly growing larger and much more menacing as he stared daggers into the back of his head._

_“N-no thank you,” I mumbled, making sure to add louder so that Vincent could hear, “I have a boyfriend!”_

_“Oh, okay,” Halo slumped, “sorry, I didn’t know.  The guy’s very lucky—”_

_He was cut off when Vincent snatched him by the back of his neck, digging his fingernails into his skin so hard that his neck instantly turned red.  He cringed and dropped the drink that was in his hand, looking pained as he tried to look around to get a glimpse of his attacker._

_“Why don’t we go have a little chat outside,” Vincent snarled, dragging the whimpering Halo out the front door by the scruff, breathing hard through his nose the entire time.  My own breathing grew wheezy and my hands trembled as my entire body was wrecked with guilt due to the pummeling that I knew the nice guy was going to receive._

_“W-wait!” I called out, pathetically hiding the gifted beer behind my back.  “Vince!  It was a misunderstanding!  Please don’t—”_

_“I’ll deal with you later!” Vincent roared, shooting me a heated glare, making me shrink back as the door shut slammed in my face._

_As I overheard the sounds of fists against face and the agonized yelps from Halo getting his butt whooped, I stayed frozen on the other side of the door, feeling like I should do something.  I knew that it was partially my fault for not shooing the nice boy away earlier and I felt in the pit of my gut that it should’ve been me shoved face down on the driveway, not Halo._

_However, because the thought of standing up to an angry Vincent made me cower in fear, I remained in my spot like a statue, covering my ears to block out the spine-chilling cries for help._

**‘`( ꒪Д꒪),､**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

I burst into the hallway, frantically trying to come up with an idea on what to do.  There was a freakin’ vampire at my bedroom window, his red eyes eerily watching me as I made my desperate retreat.

“Invite me inside!” he roared at me as I fled, banging his fists against the glass window.

My new iPhone was still glued to my face as I leapt down the stairs, taking them two at a time so that I could get to the bottom faster.  I was praying that Paul would answer his phone so that I could beg him to come save me.  Before I’d fallen asleep, he’d told me that he was on his way over to come spend the night with me, so hopefully he was at least within city limits!

My heart beat wildly in my chest and sweat dripped down my frightened face as I scampered down the hallway towards Howie’s bedroom.

“ _Hey, you’ve reached Paul_ ,” Paul’s voicemail stupidly answered.  “ _Leave a message or don’t, I really don’t give a shit—_ ”

What kind of answering message is that? Ignoring it for the moment, I barged into Howie’s bedroom where the old man was out cold in his tiny bed, snoring peacefully.  I rushed forward and grabbed him tightly by the shoulders, shaking him ferociously.

“Howie!” I screamed, trying to wake him up.  “Howie!  There’s a vampire outside!”

The elderly man cracked open an eye.  “Eh?” he yawned, pushing me away from him as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  “Wh-what’s up, Darren? What’s the matter?”

I flipped the light switch so that he could wake up faster, my body shaking as if there were an earthquake happening right now.  I’ve never met a vampire before, but I’ve seen on TV that they love to kill humans and drink their blood— and I’m a human!  “Th-there’s a vampire outside!” I panicked, my adrenaline spiking to crazy levels never felt before.  Shoot, I wasn’t even this terrified the time Paul had chased me through the forest in his wolf form.

Howie jerked up in his bed, wide awake now.  “A vampire?” he repeated.  “Are you sure?”

I fearfully nodded, eying his bedroom window which was thankfully vacant.

Howie scratched behind his ear as he yawned.  “You, uh, you didn’t invite them in, right?” he asked, looking me up and down.

“N-no,” I stammered, clutching at my chest as I feared that my heart would explode right out of it, the bloody mess attracting even more vampires to my house.  That would double suck!

Howie unleashed a sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.  “Oh good,” he sighed, throwing the covers off of himself.  “Vampires can’t come into a house without being invited in first.  So all we need to do is avoid any windows so that we don’t get glamoured.”  He leapt out of bed and shuffled his way over towards the window, closing the blinds so that we couldn’t see outside.

“Wh-what does that mean?” I panted, my throat painfully dry as I panicked in the corner of Howie’s room.  My hands were still trembling and my knees were buckling so badly that I nearly toppled over onto the hardwood floor.

Howie opened up his closet door in a hurry, allowing the door to slam loudly against the wall.  He began to search through the boxes and clothes that were in there, looking at me from over this shoulder.  “A vampire can ‘Glamour’ humans,” he huffed as he continued his search.  “It’s kind of like a hypnosis, so make sure not to look ‘em in the eyes.”

Oh my God…

That was terrifying!  Even more than before, my body was wrecked with nerves as I feared in the pit of my stomach that I’d die tonight.  Mental images of me as some sort of bloody smoothie flickered in my mind, making my breathing go all wheezy.  Luckily, it seemed to be easy enough to avoid being eaten by the monster outside: just do not invite him inside, and do not look him in the eyes.

“Don’t just stand there!” Howie barked at me.  “Go to the kitchen and grab some garlic!  There’s some powder in the pantry!”

Why am I such a chicken?!  The thought of venturing through the house while there was a vampire outside sent a shockwave of horror throughout my body.  My brain screamed at me to call out for Daddy to save me, making me feel even more useless by myself.  Oh man, I just… I really wanted my Daddy right now.

Dang, it was so embarrassing to admit that, especially after all of the resistance that I’ve given Paul.  In the past, I’d wanted nothing at all to do with him, and that sort of transfers over a bit now on a much smaller scale.  However, right now as there was a frickin’ vampire outside, I wished with all of my heart that the Alpha was here right now to protect me, that stupid voice mocking me in the back of my head.

_Bet ya wish Daddy was here right now, huh?_ it muttered.

Yes!  Yes, I do!

But since Daddy— I mean Paul, wasn’t here at the moment, that meant that I’ll have to rely on myself… I’m so dead.  I scurried out of the bedroom, keeping close to the wall and forcing my eyes to stare down at the floor as I made my way to the kitchen.  Apparently the stories about vampires not liking garlic were true, and Howie had mentioned that we have garlic powder in the pantry.  I’m not sure if the old man expects me to sprinkle the spices onto the vampire or not, but having it would give me a small shred of comfort.

Once I entered the kitchen, I dashed towards the pantry, accidentally ripping the cheaply made door off its hinges in my fury.  Inside the pantry was cumin, coriander, parsley… where the hell is the garlic?!

“Oh, Alpha Mate,” that eerie, spine-tingling voice mocked.  There was a small tap against the kitchen window over the sink, but I didn’t dare look over at it.  “C’mon, it’s really cold out here.  Why don’t you invite me inside?”

I shook my head, making sure to stare deeply into the pantry as I frantically searched for the garlic powder.  I lifted up each and every spice bottle that I could find, and even read the ingredients of mixes, but there was no garlic in the house at all.  

“Oh, come on now, don’t be a little bitch,” the vampire pouted from outside, his voice taking on a urgent yet silky quality.  Come to think of it, it was a rather beautiful voice that belonged in music, but the fancy kind of music that one hears at the opera.  “I’m not gonna hurt you… I’ll make sure you’re dead before I rip open your throat.  That’s my promise to you.  Aren’t I so kind?”

_Daddy!_ that voice shrieked, making me wince out of both fear and humiliation.

“M-my mate’s on his way over here,” I shivered, my voice a tiny and pathetic squeak.  “A-and he’s really tall and he works out… or he has great genes, I’m not sure.  B-but what I am s-sure of is th-that he’ll kick your butt once he g-gets here.”

The vampire scoffed, and I knew without looking that he was rolling his eyes at my false confidence.  “First,” he chuckled, “I’m not afraid of a dude with fleas.  And second, and trust me on this one, it’s not in his genes.  I can tell that just by lookin’ at you.”

I cringed, a tremor of disgust rippling down my body.  “Eww!” I gagged.  “Just because I call him ‘Daddy’ doesn’t mean he’s my dad.”

“You’re stupid.”

So the vampire decides to insult me before eating me… talk about overkill.  Pushing that to the back of my mind, I whimpered when it became apparent that we were out of garlic in the house.  I stormed out of the kitchen and back to Howie’s room, nearly out of breath from my short bursts of running and from my frazzled nerves.

Howie, shotgun in hand, eyed me up and down.  “Where’s the garlic powder?” he asked.

“Th-there was none!” I cried, throwing my hands up in exasperation.  “I couldn’t find any garlic in the house at all!”

Howie knitted his eyebrows together, shaking his head.  “I could’ve sworn there was some there this morning,” he mumbled to himself before shrugging.  “Oh well, we can just hide out in here ’til morning.  Did you try callin’ Paul?”

“H-he didn’t answer,” I yelped.  “But he said that he was on his way earlier.”  Panic began to seep into my heart as I feared the possibility that Paul had already gotten to my house, only to be taken out by the vampire outside.  After all, the vampire didn’t seem at all scared or intimidated when I’d threatened him with Paul.  N-no, that was impossible.  Paul was an Alpha werewolf who many people, both human and supernatural, feared and respected— he HAS to be okay, there’s no other scenario acceptable.

Irony never ceased to escape me as I cowered in the corner of Howie’s bedroom while he sat on the bed, directing his shotgun towards the window.  I could say right now that the only reason as to why my instincts seemed to be calling out for Paul was because in my mind, werewolf trumps vampire.  However, I’d be lying if I mentioned that that was it.  I remember being a little kid and never running to my mom or stepdad whenever I’d gotten hurt.  There were perhaps select occasions in which I’d turned to them for protection/comfort (I could count them all on one hand), and each and every time, they’d disappointed me by either not caring, not being physically available, or straight up refusing to help me.  The more I concentrated on it as I rocked myself back and forth on the hard floor, knees up to my chest and my face buried in my hands, it became alarmingly evident that through the course of my seventeen years of life, Paul Martinez has been the only person I truly felt I could run to when in danger or scared.  Sure, Howie was pretty high up there on my list of people I respect, but he’s elderly and I wouldn’t bet any money on him fending off a vampire with his bare hands— thank God he has that shotgun.

Still, my breathing hitched as the epiphany that Paul was the man whom I could rely on the most in the world dawned on me.  Dang, I’ve only known him for a short time too.  However, I wasn’t able to ignore the gut feeling that told me that if Paul were here, then the vampire wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to wake me up, since he would’ve already taken care of it.

Oh, I just really, really wanted my Daddy here right now.

There was a loud crash out in the back of the house near the kitchen, the sound of the wind howling following suit.  I flinched and strained my ears as I desperately listened for any indication that the vampire had made it inside.  Although there were no footsteps to be heard, it sounded like the door had definitely been kicked in.

Howie knitted his eyebrows together and slowly got off of his bed, his shotgun cocked and loaded.  “D-did ya hear that?” he asked me, probably unsure if he’d actually heard something thanks to his poor hearing.

I nervously nodded, swallowing loudly.  Howie had said that a vampire cannot get into the house without being invited in first, so there was no way that the monster could be out in the hallway, right? I shakily got up onto my feet and opened up the bedroom door just a crack, poking my head out a little bit to check to see if the coast was clear—

“Well hey there, Alpha Mate!” the vampire taunted, our eyes locking as he stood in the back doorway with the door broken onto the floor.

His red eyes took on a glowing quality, being the main things that I could see in the dark house.  They were beautiful, a deep red like precious rubies and I couldn’t help but stare deeply into them as I crouched behind Howie’s door.

“Why don’t you come over here?” the vampire said, his voice smooth like a record player, soft and lulling.

“O-okay,” I found myself mumbling, my legs moving on their own accord as I slipped into the hallway, deaf to the protests of Howie.

“Closer,” the vampire called out in a low voice, his eyes shimmering a bit.  The shimmering intensified and I found myself unable to look away from the phenomena.  It was a strange feeling that I was experiencing as I stared into the his eyes.  It seemed as if the background behind him was a kaleidoscope, and I was unable to focus on anything except for the monster.  My limbs had the pins and needles effect like when I used to fall asleep on my arm and it’d feel staticky when I woke up and rolled off it.

I couldn’t stop myself, I had to get closer.  My limbs moved as if a puppeteer were controlling them and the vampire began to move his slender arms in a beckoning motion.  

“Closer,” he said gently, luring me further down the hallway and into the kitchen, closer to the backdoor’s jam.  His gaze was locked onto my face, refusing to let go of my attention that it completely dominated.  The iPhone fell from my grasp and my arms were limp at my side.

I felt all my previous worries disappear under the eyes of the vampire.  I struggled to remember what had happened back in Texas and I found myself even unable to recreate Paul’s face in my mind.  It was amazing, the numbing euphoria that the man was giving me.  

“That’s it, closer,” he beckoned, almost within reach.  The crimson eyes held me captive, nothing else in the world seeming to matter at the moment.

His arm stretched out towards me, still remaining outside of the house.  The faint light from Howie’s bedroom casted a glowing effect on his pale hand, creating a radiant effect that was so alluring that I just had to touch it.  I slowly reached for it, my arm weighing a ton.  Very shakily, I managed to lift it up, my trembling hand getting closer to the vampire, his eyes burning into me as I did so.

“Darren! Get away from it!” Howie roared from behind me, his wrinkled hands doing absolutely nothing to hold me back. 

I had to reach out and grab a hold of the vampire’s hand, nothing else in the world made any sense.  The way that both the moonlight and the bedroom light cast shimmering waves across it made it so beautiful that I couldn’t resist.  I had to reach out.

My hand drew closer, my fingers passing the backdoor’s door jam, feeling the biting sting of the chilly outside air—

The vampire latched onto my fingers, instantly turning them purple due to the strength of his grip, but because my entire body was icily numb I couldn’t feel a thing.

“Gotcha!” he smirked, opening his mouth wide to reveal rows of shark-like teeth.  However, thanks to whatever drug-induced haze that I was in, all I could focus on were the glowing red eyes that burned hotter with intensity as the vampire lowered his face closer and closer to me.  For a brief moment, I had a second of clarity as my line of sight honed in on the dagger-esque fangs that sent a shiver of terror down my spine, making me yelp out. 

I saw the vampire invading my personal space— 

Then I saw the sky, and then the ground in a frenzied blur. 

The very second that my line of sight was broken from the vampire’s, an immense weight crashed onto me, my whole body nearly destroyed from the onslaught of cold from the freezing air and teeth-clenching pain that I felt in my hand from having my bones crushed.  “Wha— WHA?!” I panicked, gasping for breath as my eyesight slowly became clearer.

I raised my face from the grass to see that I was in my backyard, slumped in the dew-covered lawn as the vampire was huddled on the other side on his hands and knees, struggling to get back up onto his feet.  It quickly became apparent that something must’ve crashed into us as I struggled to take in some oxygen, wincing as I moved my body the slightest bit.  It felt as if I’d just been in a car accident; my ears were ringing and my bones ached while my muscles throbbed with every beat of my heart.

The vampire managed to hobble up onto his feet, cracking his neck as he did so.  “Fuck,” he spat, glared over in my direction… yet not directly at me.

My eyes darted toward the house, marveling at how far I’d been thrusted from the backdoor— I must’ve been tossed fifteen feet through the air like a crumbled up piece of paper.  Howie poked his surprised head out of the door, muttering something to himself… but I suck at reading lips.  However, due to the roundness of his eyes and the way his jaw hung low, it was probably something along the lines of, “Holy crap.”

It was then that the ringing in my ears began to die down, automatically being replaced with a menacing snarl that sent earthquakes of fear throughout me.  I whimpered with fright and considering trying to bolt for the house when two giant, furry forelegs stomped in front of me.  

I nervously craned my neck to the sky, but my view of the stars was blocked by a massive black wolf who hovered over my crippled body.  He was leaning forward a bit, readying himself to pounce as he bared his long, disturbing teeth towards the vampire.  A deep, rumbling snarl reeking of threatening intimidation roared out from the wolf.

_Daddy!_ the voice in the back of head cheered, a humongous wave of relief engulfing me as it dawned on me that Paul finally made it.  And just in time too, how convenient.

“D-Daddy?” I found myself stuttering as I tried to prop myself up.

Paul nodded, pressing his large paw onto my back, telling me to stay put.

The vampire took one threatening step forward, trying to gauge the blockade that Paul formed with his immense and protective body.

Daddy lurched a few feet, his snarls increasing and his fur bristling up with fury, physically warning the aggressor to not even try coming closer to me.

“Aww, isn’t that cute,” the vampire hissed as he presented his fangs at us, making me whimper in terror, which in turn made Paul’s snarls grow in volume.  “Look at that, father and s—”

Paul rocketed forward, covering the distance between us and the monster in a matter of milliseconds.  His enormous jaws clamped down onto the vampire’s head, effectively silencing him as he began to thrash around, swinging my attacker around like he was a rag doll.  The vampire’s body went limp as he was tossed around and with a sickening popping sound, the head detached from the rest of the body.  The vampire’s lifeless torso and legs flung over the community fence, being launched towards the forest tree line.

…damn.

Paul spit out the vampire’s head, letting it bounce like a basketball into the vacant field before the forest, just outside of my backyard.  He morphed back into his buff human form, standing nude in my backyard as he sniffed at the air for a little bit.  He pointed in the direction of where the decapitated body had landed, nodding at another wolf who trotted out from the tree line, this one with red eyes instead of the usual yellow that I’ve seen.

“Patrick,” Paul grunted in his drill sergeant voice, “deal with that.”

The red-eyed wolf nodded and hurried over towards the remains, opening his jaws wide, revealing his even sharper fangs.

Paul hurried over towards me, scooping me up off of the grass and cradling me against his buff, bare chest.  “Hey, Baby, look at me.  Don’t watch that,” he cooed in the gentlest voice that I’ve ever heard uttered from the giant man.  As he held me bridal-style to him, he repositioned my head so that I stared into his deep, chocolate eyes.  The werewolf commanded my undivided attention, forcing me to focus on him even with all of the stomach-churning cracking noises in the background from Patrick “cleaning up” the vampire mess.

Paul carried me back into the house, muttering something to Howie.  However, I was in such a panic-filled state that I couldn’t decipher his words.  Despite seeing firsthand that the vampire was disposed of, my brain refused to calm down.  Instead, it bathed in adrenaline, my entire body shivering with fear, and every few seconds I’d steal a look over Paul’s shoulder, petrified that there’d be another vampire in the doorway, ready to try to attack again.  The mental image of how large the vampire’s fangs were never left my memory, and whenever I closed my eyes, it was right there— crystal clear in my vision, making it seem as if the monster was still in the vicinity.  Everything had occurred so quickly, and I’m fairly certain that this was some sort of shock I was dealing with.

“…we have room for you, Howie.  Please come with us…”

“…can’t… gotta keep an eye on Johnny.  But take care of your boy…”

The background moved and it took me a few moments to comprehend the fact that Paul was carrying me up the stairs, heading down the hallway to my bedroom.

“Wh-wh—?” My mouth was bone dry, prohibiting me some uttering a single word.  My fingers were throbbing like crazy, feeling as if there was shattered glass beneath my skin, splintering against my bones whenever they twitched.  My body was still shivering from cold and from the whole ordeal, my eyes still glued behind us as we moved, keeping a close eye out for any more dangerous creatures.

“We’re going to pack up some of your stuff, Baby,” Paul answered, kicking open my bedroom door with one fluid movement.  “There’s no way you’re going to be staying here without a wolf guarding you.  So you’re coming back to Daddy’s for a while until we figure something out.”

That— that honestly didn’t sound terrible.

Regardless of the fear that resided in my heart right now, just having Paul around made me feel incredibly better.  I was still shaking like a frightened chihuahua, but with the werewolf keeping me in his safe embrace, I felt like instead of a zero percent chance of living, I now had a thirteen percent chance.

Paul set me down on my mattress where I plopped down onto my butt, cocking his eyebrow at it.  “You sleep on a matt on the floor?” he grunted, sounding a bit peeved for some reason.

I slowly nodded, taking another cautious glance over at the door.  Nothing.

The alpha snorted and shook his head, snatching up my backpack that was in the corner of the room.  He unzipped it and began to rummage through the multiple cardboard boxes that I’d been too lazy to unpack from the move.  “Do, um, do you have a preference as to what clothes I pack for you?” Paul asked, still searching through the box, pausing to look at some of my belongings like old report cards and photos from Texas.

I barely had time to register the man’s words, my mind a million miles away.  I mean, the vampire had had nightmare-inducing teeth and he’d been mere inches away from my neck.  I’d almost died, and Paul had saved me.  Like literally; had he arrived just a handful of seconds later, then I would’ve been reduced to a bloodless husk.

“Damn,” Paul mused as he stared a piece of paper that I’d saved for some reason.  “Straight A’s… never had that when I was in school…”

Like seriously, had I had a ruler when I was in the vampire’s clutches, then I’m willing to bet that it would’ve measured out under three inches of air between the vampire’s teeth and my neck.  That was all that my brain seemed to be able to focus on; everything else was irrelevant.

“Baby? Do you hear me?”

The wind howled outside of the house, causing the tree that was planted outside to scratch its branches against my cracked open window.  The sound screeched in a similar way that the vampire’s claws had, making me instantly leap to my feet as I prepped myself to bolt again.

Paul dropped the papers to the floor and sprinted over to me, pulling me back into his naked chest.  “Hey, Baby,” he cooed, rubbing my back reassuringly, “it’s okay.  Don’t you worry about a thing.  Daddy’s got you.”

I don’t know if it was the shock from almost becoming prey or if it was from all of the mental confusion that I’d been experiencing for the past couple of days, but I found myself wrapping my own arms around Paul as I secured myself to him.  I even buried my face into his chest as I continued to shake like some scared little kid who needed his Daddy to protect him… and yes, I found the irony in the situation.  Darn it, I really don’t want to admit it, but I really needed Paul throughout that vampire ordeal.  I couldn’t deny it… I needed my Daddy.

“Shh, Baby, it’s okay,” Paul said again, using his soft voice that would be better suited for speaking to a toddler, “Daddy’s sorry.  I shouldn’t have had you crack open the window.  No more doing that, ‘kay? From now on, wherever Daddy goes, he’s taking his Baby with him.  I’m going to keep you safe by my side, hear me?”

Nodding, I sniffled and even wiped some tears I hadn’t been aware that I’d shed onto Paul’s chest.  “O-okay,” I whimpered, “…Daddy.”

Paul/Daddy growled with pleasure, his immense chest rumbling as he held me.  “Good boy,” he praised, leaning down to press a prickly kiss onto my forehead.  “Now, let Daddy pack up your clothes and then we’ll leave.  And all night you’ll sleep in Daddy’s arms where you’ll be nice and safe, okay?”

_Okay Daddy!_ that voice answered for me, and I couldn’t think of a reason to argue.

I… I think I’m in trouble.


	21. Steroids

“Steroids” - Mr. Oizo Feat. Uffie

_Jumping with no parachute / Steadily when I start to shoot / My load is pretty heavy / But you swallow ‘cause you think I’m cute_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Darren, Hatred]**   
****

_Vincent snores really loudly._

_I used to find some odd sense of comfort in the constant noise from my boyfriend whenever I’d stayed over at his place.  It was like some sort of audible security blanket that granted me peace of mind, telling me that he’s always there.  Unfortunately, after all of the drama that’s been occurring in our relationship, his snoring was now a terrifying taunt that he’s always there._

_I turned my head, studying my crazy boyfriend’s relaxed face as he slept beside me.  He was lying on his stomach, his arm draped over my small body, trapping me to his lumpy and uncomfortable mattress.  It was odd.  While he was asleep, Vincent looked completely at ease and showed absolutely no sign of violence or anger at all.  All of his anger lines on his face were smoothed out and I could get a brief and stolen glimpse of that youthful face that I’d fallen in love with in Spanish class._

_However, I knew that that guy I’d fallen in love with was gone, replaced with this scary and aggressive young man who liked to speak with his fists.  And my love had transformed from blind adoration into justified terror… and hatred._

_I know that I shouldn’t, but I have hate in my heart for Vincent sometimes.  Mom had raised me to love and be nice to everybody I come into contact with.  However, when I’m huddled on the floor trying to block my face from Vincent’s steel-toed boots, all I can muster up in my gut (besides fear and pain) is hatred for the guy.  And that in turn made me hate him even more because I’d never considered myself to be the kind of person who was capable of such a negative emotion.  Whenever someone was asked, “Who’s Darren Estrada?”, they’d often reply with “Who?”  Although, the ones who were familiar with me and my personality would say that I was one of the kindest and quietest people that they knew.  I’d never hurt a fly, they’d mention._

_That did hold some merit though.  I’d never hurt a fly, or anyone else for that matter.  Even when I was backed into a corner by my boyfriend, the idea of pummeling him back or shoving him away never crossed my mind.  If I ever harmed him in the ways that he’s harmed me, then I’d never be able to forgive myself.  I don’t have that kind of hatred in my heart where I’d intentionally hurt someone._

_But, I do hate Vincent sometimes.  And it gets to the point where I’ll fake an illness to stay home from school, or I’ll purposefully be too quiet where he’ll get bored with me and watch TV while I sit at the dining room table.  Either way, I need a way out._

_That’s becoming increasingly obvious because as I’m lying down with Vincent, I do not feel anything positive at all._

**( •̀ω•́ )σ**

**[Darren, Present Day]**   
****

_“Come on, invite me inside!”_

_“I’ll make sure you’re dead before I rip open your throat…”_

The words of the vampire swirled around in my head, waking me up as I lied down in Paul’s incredibly comfortable bed.  Just as his rules had instructed, I found myself using his massive chest as my soft and safe pillow.  The werewolf had one buff arm relaxed around me, making my body rest in the tiny crevice caused between said arm and his torso.  He lightly snored and would utter out a small yelp every now and then in which his legs would spasm, reminding me of how a dog looks when they’re dreaming of running.  And despite the odd sense of… belonging?… that I experienced in his strong hold, my eyes kept darting towards the window at the far side of the small bedroom.  Paul (at my request) had ripped up some cardboard from food boxes and taped the scraps over the glass to prevent anyone/thing from peeking in on us and glamouring me again.

For the millionth time tonight, I was awash in both fear from the vampire and irritating humiliation at the drastic change in my attitude.  Just a few days ago, I’d been all high and mighty, claiming that there’d never come a moment when I’d run to Paul and refer to him as “Daddy”.  Yeah… I winced at the vivid picture sprawled out before me: I was cuddled up to a half-naked Paul (I had to practically beg on my knees for the guy to put on boxers), grasping onto him for dear life in case some other supernatural predator desired to gobble me up like a Slim Jim.  Apparently no matter how hard I’d attempted to convince myself otherwise, I evidently seemed destined to be Paul’s mate.

All of the evidence was right there in front of my face.  It seemed that whenever some sort of drama occurred in my pitiful life since moving to Crescent City, Paul was right there to see me through it.  He may have gotten on my nerves and driven me to the point of an aneurism every time, but he was still there nonetheless…

No!

No, I can’t be falling for Paul!

Not only did we have two clashing personalities, but it would be highly inappropriate.  The man was seventeen years older than me— he’d been a classmate of my mom’s.  My stepdad hated him with a passion due to their childhood follies.  Oh yeah, he was also the alpha werewolf of the Crescent City Pack… I almost forgot that one.  I do suppose that did press a large issue to the forefront of my mind: We belonged to two entirely different species.  I couldn’t date a dog.

Just to further the point in my mind, I slowly outstretched my arm and scratched behind Paul’s ear.  Sure enough, even in his deep sleep, his right leg twitched as I gave him a little scratch just like any other canine does whenever one finds their special spot.

I clapped my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from bursting out into loud laughter, my eyes watering from the funny sight.  Although logic and fairytales dictated that being in the company of a werewolf was a death wish, Paul sometimes seemed more like a lovestruck puppy than a bloodthirsty monster.  I suppose that at the end of the day, I really don’t know how I feel regarding the older man.

I mean, sure, I’d practically called out for him helplessly when the vampire had attacked.  And I’d called him when I had gotten stranded in Port Steele.  And he was the only person I kind of felt comfortable being around (not including myself).  Plus, and I know that looks are not everything, Paul had to be one of the sexiest men that I’ve ever seen, hands down.  Even now as we lied next to each other in his bed, I’d steal little glances of his sculpted body, marveling at how strong and manly he looked.  Okay, so maybe Paul was slowly, glacially inching his way past my defenses.

Unfortunately, that realization put an icy fear into my heart.  My romantic track record was pretty terrible.  It involved years of being alone thanks to my hesitation to come out of the closet, only having one interest marked on it.  To make matters worse, the one sole mark was from Vincent, who proved to be the worst person on the face of the planet.  I try very hard to stay optimistic and have at least one positive thing to say about somebody, but with my ex-boyfriend, that was extremely hard.  Um, I suppose he has a nice smile? Sure, we’ll give him that.

Just the mental mentioning of Vincent caused the hairs on my arms to stand up and a cold chill to flicker through my chest.

Huh, I wasn’t aware that the thought of my ex still made my body tense up with some sort of stone-cold fright…

On cue, the very instant in which I’d displayed the slightest amount of fear physically, Paul’s snoring ceased and a ferocious growl erupted from his chiseled chest.  I was unable to get a word in edgewise before Daddy flipped over and crouched over my body, slamming both of his strong arms on either side of me like a protective cage.  As Paul puffed out his chest muscles with power, he bared his crazy sharp fangs, snarling in the direction of the blocked off window.  I have no idea what could have elicited such an aggressive response from the alpha werewolf, but whatever it was, it was lurking right outside the window apparently.  I cowardly sank deeper into the mattress and even began to curl up into a little ball as I fearfully hid beneath my snarling mate.  That only served to further his animalistic behavior as he roughly yanked me into his chest with one powerful arm, using his other one to hold us up.  

I childishly wrapped my arms around Daddy’s neck, pulling myself closer into his protective hold, my fear spiking to obscene levels as he continued to snarl.  He narrowed his yellow eyes dangerously at the window, tightening the arm that held me to his chest which vibrated with each ferocious snarl that seemed to dare whatever threat that existed to try him.

“Wh-what is it?” I whimpered, my mind searching for a reason for his out-of-the-dark reaction.  Was it another vampire?

The snarling stopped and Paul cocked his eyebrow down at me, his yellow eyes looking both menacing and puzzled.  “What?” he asked, his voice still gravelly and animalistic in order to keep up the charade of sounding tough.  “What— what do you mean, ‘What is it’? You’re the one who got scared, so you tell me what it is.”

“…huh?”

Paul sighed and I felt his stance relax as I still clasped onto him for dear life.  He steadily slumped back down right beside me, still refusing to remove his arms from around me… I was doing the same though.  “My love,” he snickered, “me and my wolf are on edge from earlier, so any kind of negative response from you will send us into overdrive.  I can feel you tensing up.  Relax, ‘cause Daddy’s here and no one will ever come close to hurting you while Daddy’s around.”

Well, at least that meant there was no vampire around.  Thank God for that.  However, that also meant that even though we haven’t seen each other for a while, and we were supposed (I really hope) to be states away, Vincent still had the capability to instill terror into me.

“You’re doing it again.”

“S-sorry,” I mumbled, forcing Vincent out of my thoughts and cuddling up to Daddy’s buff chest.  Hmm, Paul sure was comfy.  Again, my subconscious felt completely at ease with the alpha werewolf within grasp, or I guess more accurately, when I was in the alpha werewolf’s hold.  Okay, something is wrong with me.  Maybe I’d contracted rabies and that was why my breathing was getting all short at the sight of the muscly man and why I felt myself get all flushed when he leaned up to stare me down with his intense eyes.  However, that didn’t seem to explain as to why my heart appeared to race whenever I mentally/vocally referred to him as… *ahem, Daddy… oh crud, my heart skipped a beat.

“Is everything okay?” Paul sleepily wondered, his arms flexing as he spoke, making his hold feel all the more secure.  “You know that you can tell Daddy anything and he will take care of you.”

“Everything is fine,” I lied, my voice betraying me with a cringe-inducing crack.

Paul, or I could say Daddy (oh man, my cock just twitched), sighed and rolled us over so that I was lying on top of him.  “Okay,” he breathed, “tell Daddy what’s wrong.”  As I rested on his chiseled chest, he stared up at me, his eyes glowing that lupine yellow that used to send shivers down my spine, but now they seemed to shoo my anxiety away.  Odd.

It really bothered me how transparent I can be sometimes.  I used to pride myself on how closed of a book I could be, concealing all of my inner thoughts and feelings away from the rest of the world.  However, it seemed that whenever I was with Paul, he had some sort of x-ray vision that penetrated each and every one of my force fields.  I was so screwed.  Of course the idiotic voice in the back of my head urged me to explain that the cast on my left arm was Jonathan’s fault.  It also beckoned for me to sit down and detail every horrific experience that I’d gone through with Vincent.  But because of some kind of irrational fear that dwelled within me, my throat dried up and prevented me from coming clean.  The way my brain wrote it off was that Vincent was in the past and that Crescent City was a big place (No, it wasn’t…), therefore there was no need for me to worry about him.  As for Jonathan, I was almost eighteen and I could just apply to college some place far away where I’ll never have to see him again.

“N-nothing’s wrong,” I squeaked, closing my eyes and resting my head down on Paul’s chest, praying that he’d drop the subject.

Of course he didn’t.

“No,” he pressed.  “I can tell when you’re not being honest with me, Baby.  So are you going to tell Daddy what’s bothering you, or are you going to lie again.  And before you decide, let me remind you that if you lie to me again then I will give you a spanking for not telling Daddy the truth.”  The way he spoke to me with such parental authority in his voice kind of lit some sort of sparkler inside me, and it lit up my internal organs with a fiery warmth that made me want to hear him speak again.  Ugh, what is happening to me?

Still, even with my brain on the fritz, I was coherent enough to know that I was far too old for a spanking.  “I’m just tired,” I muttered, trying to change the subject, “…Daddy.”

Paul’s chest rumbled as he growled with pleasure.  “Oh yeah?” he cooed, his voice going soft and gentle.  “Well then maybe Daddy should just let his Baby get some rest.”  Hehe, my plan worked finally!

“Well, if you insist…”

“But,” Paul maliciously added, that familiar smirk crawling onto his smug face, “you fell asleep on the car ride over here, so Daddy never got his goodnight kiss.  So…”  The older man puckered out his lips in an exaggerated fashion, waiting for me to make some sort of move.

Umm, I have kissed Paul before, but each and every one of those moments had been times in which the guy had just snuck up on me and planted one for a brief second.  Never before have I ever initiated lip contact with him, and the thought was making that sparkler inside of me turn into a full-fledged atom bomb.  Had this occurred a week prior, then there’d be no way I’d be contemplating kissing Paul.  Sure we’d done other stuff, much more explicit stuff when I’d undergone that unbearable heat after I’d been claimed, yet now the thought of kissing the man was sending me into a spiral of emotions.

It was confusing as to why all of these feelings were coming to light so suddenly, as if someone had flicked a switch inside of my brain.  However, there was no way I could deny that a tiny part of me wanted to kiss Paul.

Very slowly, I inched up his torso, getting closer and closer to his puckered out lips.  Okay, I can do this.  I’ve kissed Vincent many times in the past, so kissing Paul would be nothing too strenuous on my end.  Hence, I tried to think nothing of it at all the exact microsecond that my lips brushed up against Paul’s fuller, softer lips.

I used to scoff at romance movies, laughing at how fake they always made that first kiss scene appear.  In them, the characters seemed to transport to some sort of timeless realm in which nothing else in the entire universe existed besides them… and that’s exactly how I felt while kissing Paul.  The man’s lips had some sort of magical quality about them that caused a burst of color to explode within me.  The warmness of Paul’s lips on mine could only be described as “Right”, and as I rested there for a while, it didn’t come as quite a surprise to me when Paul’s mouth parted open as he tried to deepen our goodnight kiss.

And I let him.

I parted my own lips and granted the man access as his tongue ventured inside, exploring every crevice of me.  I couldn’t hold back the slight moan that escaped me as I felt Paul’s strong man hands run up and down my body, his entire form vibrating from the pleasured growls that he unleashed.  Everything about this kiss felt so brilliant, making it seem as if I were basking in sunbeams, feeling their warmth cascade all over my sensitive skin.  Paul was the sun, creating a heated and pleasant sensation inside of me.  He further deepened our kiss, squeezing me so tightly to him that was no air in between our bodies.  I melted in his arms, becoming putty at his touch.  His touch, his scent, his sounds— everything about Daddy seemed to draw me in, making me feel so… I’m not sure exactly what to name it since I haven’t felt like this ever.  I believe it’s called, “Safe”.

Paul pulled away, gasping for breath as he peppered little kisses down my neck and onto my collarbone.  “You were a little eager, huh?” he teased, wiggling his hips to jostle the erection that I’d received just from kissing him.  Plus, the man rutted his own boner against me in the process, so at least I wasn’t alone.

The kiss was amazing.  I felt as if all the tiny little hairs on my body were standing at attention, and my lips burned with a want to go at it again.  Wow, I’ve never experienced those sensations whenever I’d kissed What’s-His-Name.  “Y-yeah,” I embarrassingly mumbled, feeling my flushed face grow even hotter than before.  

Daddy snickered, shaking his head on his pillow.  “It’s okay, Baby,” he chuckled.  “There’s no need to be shy with Daddy.  But for now, unless you want me to knot you right now, we gotta hold back since my wolf’s getting incredibly restless.”

I may be horny and have some sort of newfound attraction for Paul (ugh, there I admitted it), but I wasn’t quite ready to be knotted yet.  Sex with Vincent had always hurt in the most excruciating ways, therefore sex with Paul who had a giant wolf penis would probably kill me.  No thank you.

“Um, I’m good,” I murmured.  “Thanks though.”

“S’fine,” he sighed, but I heard from his pained tone that he was aching for some sort of release.  “But, can Daddy ask you for a favor? And it’s okay if you say ‘No’.”

I might as well refuse right now…  “What is it?” I wondered, actually a little curious as to what Paul was requesting, despite the tingling and disgust that was bubbling up in my gut.

Paul rubbed at his face with one hand and tried not to maintain eye contact with me as he spoke.  In fact, he seemed to be looking everywhere except for my own face as he struggled to compose himself to ask me a question.  “C-can, um,” he stuttered, actually looking a little cute when he got flustered… oh, I can’t believe I just said that…  “Can you suck me off?”

The smart aleck in me wanted to correct his grammar, but instead my mouth went dry with the ramifications of his request.  Paul was asking me to suck his, *ahem, member.  I cautiously directed my attention to the large tent in his boxers, marveling at its sheer length and girth… there’s no way that thing will fit in my mouth.  I’d die of asphyxiation, and I’d already come close to that experience before.  Plus, and this even surprised me when I thought about it, but I’ve never sucked someone off before.  Vincent had mentioned that he wasn’t a fan of getting head since the idea of teeth near his junk grossed him out, which I’d considered lucky.

“Um, I’m not sure how to,” I shyly admitted, my blush taking over my entire being by now.

The left side of Paul’s face pulled upwards as his smirk grew.  “Well then,” he grinned, “I suppose this means that Daddy has to teach his Baby how to give head.  Ya know, they say I’m a pretty skilled teacher.”

“Who’s ‘They’?” I challenged.

Paul waved the question away, getting up from the bed, his boner causing an obscene tent in his boxers.  “Well, they should,” he muttered to himself before turning to me.  “Lemme just grab some stuff real quick.”  He quickly dashed out of the bedroom like a man on a mission.

My heart had begun to speed up again, most likely completing my cardiovascular workouts for the entire year.  I was far from being sexually experienced and the thought of actually giving Paul head made me nervous for an entirely different reason than normal.  Under usual circumstances, I’d been anxious to perform sexual acts before because more often than not, they hurt a lot.  However, now my nerves were buzzing because I was a little freaked over performing well with the werewolf.  I mean, what if I totally suck and he goes all soft in my mouth? That would put the final nail on the coffin for my self-esteem.  That also brought another unnerving aspect into the forefront of my brain: Why was I worried about sucking off Paul well?

Oh man, I’m so screwed.  I-I think Paul really is setting up home in my… *gulp, heart.

It didn’t take long for the eager man to return to the bedroom, two popsicles in hand.  “Okay, Baby,” he smiled, looking incredibly excited as he bounced back onto the bed right next to me, “we’ll start by eating a popsicle.  Show me how you suck on it.”  He handed me one.

I unwrapped the frozen treat, happy that it was orange flavored.  “Oh, okay,” I mumbled, thinking it a little weird that eating popsicles would contribute to my knowledge of fellatio.  But whatever.  I stuck the end of the treat into my mouth… and bit down, chomping off a small chunk of sweet ice to suck on.  That’s how I eat popsicles.

Paul’s smile fell rapidly from his face and he even covered up his junk with his free hand.  “Okay,” he mumbled, “b-but this time, try not using your teeth.”

I finished up the piece of ice in my mouth and parted my lips to insert the popsicle back into my mouth.  Now I’ve seen Daddy’s member before, and I know for a fact that this frozen stick fails in comparison to both the length and girth.  Therefore, I figured that if the point of using food was to practice, then I should’ve been using a French baguette instead.  Still, I began to suck on the popsicle a little bit, eagerly swallowing the sugary juice that it consisted of.

Paul, licking his full lips, nodded.  “Good job,” he mused, unwrapping his own popsicle, a grape-flavored one (I thought that grapes were bad for dogs…).  “Now, watch Daddy and see if you can copy him.”

My eyes were trained on the werewolf as he slowly licked at the tip of his popsicle, glancing my way to make sure that I was paying close attention.  Guessing that this was supposed to be some kind of hands-on experience, I copied him, lapping at the bitten end of my own dessert.  Then Paul began to insert the popsicle into his mouth, his jaw hanging down low to signify that he wasn’t allowing his teeth to come into contact with it.  Using his arm, he pumped the treat further into his mouth before dragging it back outwards all without actually removing it from his lips.  The man must’ve had lots of practice eating popsicles this way because he was able to shove it really far into his mouth, to the point of only the stick being visible, and he didn’t gag or make a peep at all.

That shouldn’t be too hard to imitate.  With one fluid movement, I shoved the popsicle deeper into my mouth… and immediately gagged and had to yank it out as I violently coughed up orange-tinted saliva.

Daddy chuckled and patted my back to help settle my coughing fit.  “Don’t worry, Baby,” he snickered.  “All it takes is practice.  With my help, you’ll get there.”  The smirk and giant ego were painfully audible in his voice as he spoke, making me gag even more.  “Try pushing it in and leaving it there, making sure to breathe through your nose the entire time.”

Again, Paul swallowed the entirety of the icy popsicle, keeping it there as he demonstrated what he wanted me to do.  The way he was able to take in the entire treat without hassle kind of made my hormones goes into a heated frenzy as thoughts of when he’d sucked on my own cock during my heat resurfaced.  Yeah, he was a master and I was his lucky pupil.  This must be what those master courses in graduate school are all about.

After taking in deep breath, I slowly began to push the citrus popsicle further into my mouth.  Once about half of it was in, I could feel my gag reflex beginning to itch, wanting me to remove the intruder from my mouth, but I was determined.  I’m not exactly sure why, but a small part of me wanted to do this so that I could suck off Paul because a small part of me actually wanted to suck off Paul… dang, I wonder how come.  It was an extremely foreign sensation that I was succumbing to.  There I was, sitting on the bed next to the older, nearly-nude man, swallowing every single order that he gave me like an eager kid.  It almost reminded me of when I was little, and I’d gone about performing every demand from Jonathan with pride, starving for some sort of validation of a job well done from him.  I’d never gotten one, but back then I’d been all too happy to make my father figure proud of me.  And that was the parallel to which I related Paul and the popsicles to.  I couldn’t help but envision myself as Little Darren who wanted to make Daddy proud… oh wow, how gross am I?

“Good job,” Paul cooed, sending a wave of satisfaction throughout me.  “Now, try to take in a little more.  And make sure to breathe.  Daddy can last a long time, so I don’t want you passing out on me.”

I had to stifle a laugh at his confidence, but still I obeyed his commands.  At a glacial pace, I took in more of the popsicle, pausing every time I felt my throat close up and a cough start to surface.  Eventually, I managed to get it all the way in like Daddy had, actually feeling a sense of accomplishment greater than whenever I’d pass a hard test in school.  Man, Paul really was a good teacher… he should teach Sex Ed at the high school.

The bulge in Paul’s lap twitched as he nodded his head at my feat.  “Good job,” he moaned, grabbing a light hold of my forearm.  “Now, we’ll just move this back and forth like how you’ll bob your head.  And make sure to watch your teeth.”  As he spoke, he began to shift my arm, making me pump the orange popsicle in and out of my mouth, simulating a blowjob.  

Every now and then, I’d feel the icy chill on my front teeth, but then I’d unhinge my jaw even more, trying to avoid biting down on the icy treat— if I bite Paul’s penis, I don’t think I’ll ever live that down…  However, I eventually got the hang of it, focusing all of my attention on my breathing so that I wouldn’t overthink the action and chicken out.  Paul’s smiling and admiring face would catch my eye and that eager spark brightened inside of me, making me feel as if I were performing some kind of good deed that made Daddy proud.  It was a weird feeling, but I sort of liked it.

Soon the popsicle was all melted and I only held the tiny wooden stick in my grasp.

“Ready for the real thing?” Paul excitedly asked, taking the stick from me to toss somewhere in the dark bedroom.  He scooted closer to me and lied down on his back, folding his hands behind his big head.

“O-okay,” I stammered, the weight of the situation finally pressing down on me.  Sure when I’d undergone the heat, I’d been all too ready to do unspeakable things with the werewolf.  However, now that I was sober (Is that the correct term?), I was still feeling an inkling of physical and sexual longing for the man.  Vincent had been incredibly attractive before my fear of him had dominated my senses, but even then I’d never experienced these hormonal urges that I am now.

Tentatively, I tugged on the waistband of Paul’s plaid boxers, pulling the thin cloth down his strong legs.  Like a jack-in-the-box, Paul’s erect cock happily sprang free from its confines, waving wilding in the air.

“Just remember,” Paul added, his voice already a low moan, “watch your teeth, breathe through your nose, and most importantly: Swallow.”

Okay, I can do this.  My heart beat erratically in my chest and my breathing sped up as my poor self-esteem envisioned multiple scenarios of me failing: me accidentally biting Paul’s dick off, me choking to death on the immense girth of his cock, me performing so terribly that Paul will cancel our mate status, and an asteroid sideswiping the apartment at the perfect angle to reveal to all of the outside world me sucking on the alpha’s dick.  That last one made me shudder.

Still, I’ve chickened out on many experiences throughout my short life, so I figured that I could break the cycle right now with Daddy.  Besides, not to stroke my own ego or anything, but there was already a pearl of precum on the head (I caused that!), so odds were that Paul wouldn’t last nearly as long as he’d previously bragged that he could.

I grabbed a firm hold of Daddy’s cock, marveling at how much room it took up in my small hands.  At the slightest touch, Daddy rolled his head back on the pillow, unleashing another low moan.

“C’mon Baby,” he urged, “suck Daddy off.”

At the sound of his deep, baritone voice, I found myself leaning down towards this cock.  I closed my eyes and felt the tip of the head brush against my lips, in which I allowed my instincts to take over.  Slowly, I parted my lips and opened up wide to take in Daddy’s long, hard member.

The popsicle was nowhere near as large as Daddy’s cock, and I nearly gagged as soon as the tip was in my mouth.  He was so huge!  In order to make sure I didn’t scratch him up, I curled my lips over my teeth as a precaution.  The older man must’ve had some kind of feeling that he’d be getting some tonight, because once my tongue reached his cock, all I tasted was the slight saltiness of skin coupled with the dull lingering of cheap body wash… thank goodness he washed himself beforehand.

Daddy’s body tensed up once my tongue lapped at his head, toying with him a bit.  I could feel his muscles strain and involuntarily flex, his cock spasming in my mouth.  His own breathing grew labored as he groaned out loud with pleasure, his sounds also taking on an animalistic and gravelly quality as I could tell that his inner wolf was also aroused.

I took that as the green light to proceed.  My head sank lower, taking in more of Daddy, feeling him completely consume my mouth, his girth unprecedented from anything that I’d ever engulfed before.  Feeling cocky (hehe), I pushed my head down even lower until I could feel Daddy’s cock brush against the back of my throat.  Out of shock, I cracked open my eyes and nearly chocked when I noticed that Daddy was so frickin’ massive that I couldn’t even fit all of him inside of my mouth… dang.

Still, I closed my eyes and went back to work since I had a job (hehe, why am I so funny?) to do.  I made sure to suck in my cheeks, pretending that I was taking a large gulp of soda from a long, thick straw as I pulled my head back.  One cue, Daddy let out another moan, writhing on the mattress below me in sexual euphoria… that was caused by me!  Holy moly, I’ve never turned on a full-grown man before, and the realization that I was totally getting one off with just my mouth totally boosted my esteem by a couple dozen points.

I began to bob my head back and forth, making sure to keep all of Daddy’s tips in the forefront of my brain.  I breathed through my nose as I sucked him off, making sure to keep my teeth secured behind my lips.  My tongue traveled up and down his wide shaft as I moved, feeling it twitch like crazy as I did my work.  Throughout the whole ordeal, Daddy moaned out and spasmed on his back.

“That’s it,” he grunted.  “That’s Daddy’s good boy.”

My own cock inflated in my pants at the sounds of me getting him off, the idea that I was following orders and pleasing the man both surprisingly pleasurable to me.  That figures that I’d get off on following rules… I’m so lame.  Still, I happily slurped at his cock, bobbing my head up and down but not deep-throating yet.  I can save that for another time once I gain more experience… um, if that ever happens, I mean… oh screw it.  

Yeah, I’ll be practicing with Daddy in the foreseeable future.  There’s no doubt about it.

“Fuck,” Daddy moaned through gritted teeth, arching his back.  “Daddy’s gonna cum.  Get ready.”

No way, I actually got some big, strong, and sexy man off.  There’s no way anyone else will ever believe that this happened.  I was floored that Daddy legitimately viewed me as someone sexually desirable, the feeling incredibly foreign to me.  Yet, there was a warm and fuzzy sensation forming in my chest as I considered it some more.  I mean, all throughout my life, I’d seen myself as a loser.  However, after meeting Daddy, he’s sort of shown me—

Daddy let out a low growl and I felt his cock jerk in my mouth as he bucked his hips forwards.  Like a geyser, his cock exploded out a huge load.  The poor guy must’ve gone years without getting off because he unleashed so much cum that he filled up my mouth so much that it almost squirt out of my nostrils.  The goop was salty and kind of bitter, and I grimaced as I attempted to quickly choke it down.

“That’s it,” Daddy cooed, leaning forward and brushing a tender hand over my face, “swallow all of Daddy’s juice that he made just for his Baby.”  What…?

Regardless of his awkward phrases, I swallowed down every last drop of Daddy’s cum as instructed.  Once he was bone dry, I spit his cock out and sat back on my butt, panting as I attempted to regain my breath.  The saltiness of his cum lingered heavily in my mouth, being all that I could taste.  

However, that quickly became an afterthought as the growing pressure in my own pants became a little undeniable.  Thanks to my boxer briefs, my own erection snaked down my leg, throbbing as it was clearly visible against my tight jeans.  To make my horniness even worse, the way Daddy rested on his back, his strong arms flexing as they were propped behind his head, he looked so insanely sexy.  My eyes shamelessly ran up and down his muscled frame and I bit down on my salty lip in a poor attempt to calm my steam.

Daddy sniffed at the air, a deep pleasured growl erupting from his massive chest.  “My Baby’s aroused,” he smirked.  “I can smell it.”

“Wh-what does it smell like?” I wondered, genuinely curious.

Daddy rolled over and propped himself up on one arm, using his free one to make its way towards my crotch.  “Everyone’s is different,” he purred.  “Yours smells a lot like cinnamon, which is mine and my wolf’s most favorite scent.  Plus, it always grows stronger whenever I’m shirtless, I’ve noticed.”

Oh no… Daddy knows that I pervertedly check him out on a regular basis.  “N-no it doesn’t,” I tried to laugh it off, but my face was on fire as I blushed.

Daddy snorted, his thick fingers toying with the button on my pants.  “Sure, Baby,” he snickered, “you may not think Daddy’s attractive, and that’s fine.  But lemme tell you, you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid my eyes on.  And ever since we’ve met, I’ve jerked off to fantasies of me shoving you down into this mattress and claiming you as all mine.”

That really shouldn’t turn me on, but my cock seemed to leap at the man’s possessive words.

“But Daddy can knot you later, like maybe tomorrow.  We’ll discuss it later.  For now, Daddy’s gonna take of that for you.”  He gestured at my own boner as he unfastened my button and tugged my pants and boxer briefs lower.

I couldn’t really react in time.  Of course I was so horny and had a deep and growing need in my groin, but I was embarrassed to admit that I’ve never cum with another person before.  I’m fairly sure that there’s something wrong with me.  However, before I could warn Daddy that him trying to take care of my erection would be a futile effort on his part, he’d already shoved his hungry face into my lap.

My eyes shot open as I saw Daddy’s head bobbing up and down as he sucked me off.  My body tensed up and I felt his tongue flick at my head, eliciting a low moan from me.  For a brief moment, I was able to forget all of the past anger and frustration that I’d felt for Daddy as he sucked on my cock, eagerly forming a vacuum-seal around it with his mouth.  The dude had no gag reflex as he was able to take my entire member inside of his mouth, moaning as he hungrily sucked.  I allowed myself to go limp as the older man’s hands traveled up my body, exploring every curve with his twitching fingers.  It felt as if his touch ignited some sort of wildfire on top of my skin, burning with desire as I felt his rough hands feel up every inch of me.  Then something inside of me ripped and I felt myself spasm.  Oh no, was I dying?

“S-something’s happening,” I tried to warn the obvious man as my pelvis seemed to tremble, my body feeling weightless.

Daddy didn’t seem to notice my pleas and instead increased the sucking power of his mouth, making my entire body freeze up as I shot my load into his mouth.  At first I cringed out of embarrassment and I almost apologized for cumming in him, but Daddy instead flexed his throat even more as he swallowed every last drop.

I was spent, panting as I rested on my back, wondering just what had happened.  I just came for the first time with another person, and of course that person had to be Paul Martinez.  He must be magical or something.  Seriously, I’ve never experienced those kind of physical sensations before.  His body, his touch, his mouth, everything about him seemed to pull me in, refusing to let me go.  And I’m not sure anymore if I wanted to go.

Meanwhile, Daddy glanced up at me, a wide smile as his cocky face.  “Well, you must’ve been horny,” he chuckled, licking his puffy lips, “‘cause you came a lot.  But that’s okay, because when you’re with Daddy, then all of your needs will be taken care of.  _All_ of them.”  The dude even gave me a cheesy wink as he finished his innuendo.

I was rendered speechless, both from the weight of Daddy’s words and from the post-orgasmic crash.  I flopped back onto the mattress, trying to regain my breath as everything flashed by in my brain.  Paul had just made me cum, and I totally liked it.  Dang…

Daddy crawled closer to me, tossing the covers over us as he pulled me back into his chest.  “Aww, my poor Baby,” he chuckled, his deep voice vibrating the whole bed as he spoke, “it looks like Daddy really did tire you out, huh?”

Too overwhelmed and drained to say anything, I just nodded, my cheek rubbing up against the man’s sparse chest hair.  I couldn’t help but feel some sort of… closeness, I think that’s the right word— some sort of closeness to the werewolf after our sexual experience.  In turn, that brought on some form of vulnerability that I’ve never shared with anyone else before, not even Vincent.  I was unable to deny the growing feelings that I harbored for Paul/Daddy, but I can worry about that later.  

My brain relaxed to never before seen levels, and I quickly fell asleep in Daddy’s embrace.


	22. SECRET ADVENTURE

****“SECRET ADVENTURE” - MEG

_Ah I love you, I hate you, I love you / A spiral of wanting to tell you / But not because it’s impossible / A refrain of feeling like I miss you / I used to look at your smiling face in the sky_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Paul, Present Day]**   
****

Oh, my poor sweet Baby was so so tired as he cuddled up to my chest.  The way he slept was so peaceful and it always warmed my heart because it gave me a glimpse of Darren in a way that I wasn’t too accustomed to.  When he was asleep, he allowed his body to unwind and destress.  There weren’t any worry-lines around his eyes and he didn’t look all fearful like an abused puppy.  Instead, my Baby looked so at ease, his face perfectly smooth and blemish-free as he rested in my arms, right where he belongs.

My body was still pumped full of adrenaline from the fight with the vampire last night, the thought of my Baby being in danger making me bare my teeth and strain my ears for the thousandth time.  There was no sound coming from outside that would cause me to worry; but still, I stayed on full alert, refusing to fall back asleep in case my Baby needed his Daddy.

That brought another problem up to the spotlight: Darren was being bothered by something more than a simple bloodsucker.  After the Mating Run in which I’d graciously claimed my boy as mine and only mine, some idiot had the balls to threaten him over text.  I have no fucking clue who Vincent is, but what I do know is that if the asshole ever steps foot in my territory, I’ll skin him alive.  No one, and I mean no one, will ever lay a fuckin’ finger on my mate; and if anyone is stupid enough to try, then I’ll make them wish that they’ve never been born.

My inner wolf whimpered and I could feel my fingers twitch as my grip on my boy tightened.  _Mate is our pup_ , he reminded me.  
 ****

Yeah, I know.  Sighing, I looked down at the boy in my arms, the boy that I helped to bring into this world.  Shit, if Darren ever found out that I’m his father, especially after he sucked me off, then he’ll hate me for sure.

I know that I’m faced with a true problem.  My mate, Darren, is my son— I’m in love with my own son.  How fucking sick am I? Still, I’ve seen the pain in his eyes and the anxiety all over this face.  The poor boy really needs his Daddy, so there’s no way I’m ever leaving.  That just brings to me to figuring out what’s the best course of action: Do I continue to withhold the truth from him, or do I reveal that I’m his Daddy and his Dad?

If I don’t tell him, then I run the risk of him finding out on his own.  Laura and Jonathan know for sure, I know it.  Howie knows… I think.  I know that Howie won’t say anything because he’s quiet like that, but as for Laura and Jonathan, they pose a real threat.  If Darren does find out on his own, then the kid will be real pissed with me.  I’ve never seen Darren mad, in fact the thought of him all irate is kinda cute, but I’m willing to bet that if he finds out that I’ve kinda tricked him into an incestuous relationship… well, I’m sure it won’t be pretty.

_Knot Mate first_ , my wolf suggested.

Of course I wanted knot my Baby, just the sheer thought made my cock twitch and inflate with blood.  Every wolf wants to knot their mate because the act of knotting seals the bond shut— there’s no turning back from there.  The only human equivalent that I can compare it to is marriage, except it’s stronger because there’s no such thing as divorce when it comes to mates.

“Fuck,” I hissed to myself, flinching when my Baby stirred the slightest bit.  He eventually relaxed and his body went limp against my chest, his drool dripping onto my pecs.  I didn’t mind though.

I cannot deny the physical sensations that I felt and the emotional explosions that I experienced when Darren was in my arms.  We belong together, we’re mates.  The fact that we’re also father and son is trivial at this point… kinda.

_Just knot Mate, and then tell him_ , the wolf urged.  _Knot Mate.  Do it tonight._

“He’s not ready,” I mumbled, gritting my teeth.  I wanted to knot my Baby so bad, but he wasn’t really ready for that part of our relationship.  Although, he did mention that he’s no longer a virgin, a fact that pissed me off to no end.  Sure, I’m not a virgin either, but I couldn’t deny the jealousy that bubbled up in my gut over the fact that I wouldn’t be my Baby’s first and only sexual partner.

_We can still be his best_ , the wolf pointed out.

My cock was at full attention now, my inner wolf knowing exactly what he was doing.  Ever since we laid eyes on Darren, we’ve fantasized over the sounds he’d make when I’m pumping into his tight hole, and the way his face would contort with painful pleasure from my large cock.  I wanted him so, so badly.

_Romance him tonight.  Then knot him.  Then explain that he’s our pup._

I looked down at Darren again, my heart melting as he relaxed in my hold, using my chest as his pillow as instructed.  I couldn’t deny the need that I felt for him nor could I deny that the right thing to do would be to tell him the truth.  Maybe… maybe I should tell him before I knot him tonight.

Either way, I do plan on trying to knot him soon.

**Σ(´д ` ﾒ)**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

Oh my goodness, I’ve never felt so well-rested ever before in my life!  I couldn’t fight the dazed grin that immediately formed on my face as I stretched out my arms, hearing that oh-so satisfying pop in my back, making me curl my toes.  My muscles were all loose as if I’d just received the world’s best massage all night, no amount of soreness detectable in them whatsoever.  Even my brain was at ease, thoughts of the vampire long gone from my immediate memory.  Shoot, I also struggled to recall Vincent’s cocky face, the mental images of him all fuzzy and incoherent as I felt Daddy tighten his arms around me.  
 ****

“‘Morning,” he yawned, his deep voice tainted with drowsiness.  I felt his stubble-framed lips press against my forehead, the older man moaning a little bit as he kissed me.

Unconsciously, my smile stretched even wider, pushing the limits of my face.  It was so odd, but everything about being in Daddy’s arms just felt… so right.  It was as if I’d been lost for seventeen years, and then I’d finally discovered my home.  My home just so happened to be the comfy embrace of an alpha werewolf who liked to refer to himself as “Daddy”, but whatever.  I can make do.

“Good morning,” I replied, resting my head back down on Paul’s broad chest, hearing his thumping heartbeat pick up the smallest bit as I did so.  Perhaps the best part about this morning was that despite having blown and receiving head from Daddy last night, I didn’t even feel the least bit ashamed or humiliated.  Under any normal circumstances, I’m fairly sure that I would’ve ducked out of the guy’s window during the cover of nightfall to avoid the awkward morning after.  However, with Daddy, I found myself totally peaceful… and kind of looking forward to what was in store for later.

Man, what’s happening to me?

I wasn’t ignorant to the black and white starkness in my demeanor when it came to the adult man who held me close to him.  Just earlier in the week, I was cursing his name and wishing that whatever offspring he may have will grow up to know just what a pervert their father is.  Flash-forward to now, and I’m cuddling up to his naked body, even rubbing my cheek up and down his bare chest all cutesy-like.  I knew that I shouldn’t have been all eager to please Daddy like I was a willing participant in some DDLB fantasy, but I also could not deny the rigidity of my groin whenever Daddy’s strong hands travelled over my smaller body.  Yeah, I’m in trouble.

Even worse, there was a small, unsettling empty sensation that I could feel from somewhere in my body… somewhere in my lower back area.

I’m not exactly sure how to explain it, but as I rested in Daddy’s embrace, I could feel something happening inside of me.  It wasn’t just my hormones, but I could tell that my body seemed to be craving for something obscure… well, it wasn’t that obscure, even I’m not that dense.

_I wonder how it’ll feel to be knotted by Daddy_ , that annoying and somewhat perverted voice mumbled in the back of my head.

Oh no… No, I can’t be reduced from an intelligent young man into some horny little teenager who’s only capable of thinking about their Daddy’s schlong!  And yet, I wasn’t able to forget the way I’d sucked the man off last night and how great it felt to actually get a sexy man like Paul to cum with just my mouth.  Plus, as I glanced downwards at the blanket, the large tent in the covers above Daddy’s pelvis sent a chilled shiver down my spine that made me curl my toes even more.

But at the same time, sex with Vincent had been excruciatingly painful and Paul had more than a couple inches on him.  Therefore, by utilizing simple mathematics, sex with Paul would put me into a coma.

_Has Daddy ever hurt us?_ the voice countered.  _No, he hasn’t.  Ask him to knot us._

“You okay, Baby?” Paul asked, snapping me out of my thirsty daze.  “You look a little troubled.”  He knit his thick eyebrows together and his full lips were cast with the rising sun’s power, making them glisten a bit.  

“Uhh…” I stalled, struggling to figure out what to say.  I don’t know what kind of switch had been flipped or what kind of potion I’d consumed, but evidently I’d undergone some sort of transformation that caused me to be curious about… knotting.  Do I want to be knotted by Paul/Daddy?

_Yes, yes you do!_ the voice cried.  _Now bend over and ask him!_

That empty sensation seemed to grow the longer I stared up at Daddy’s concerned face, becoming agonizing whenever I stole a glimpse of his morningwood.  Oh goodness gracious, I think… I think I want to be knotted by Daddy.  The physical yearnings were apparently clear as even I grew hard with the thought of being face down in the pillow while the older man went to town and claimed me, erasing all traces of my ex that lingered in my butt (that didn’t sound right).  However, emotionally— yes, even emotionally I thought that it could be a good idea to allow Daddy to claim me as his all the way.  

Paul was always there for me, even when I didn’t want him to be.  He never hurt me, he protected me, he kept my secret, and he loves me.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Paul is madly in love with me, which is more than I can ever say for anyone else.  I know that with Vincent, he loved himself more than me.  Even my parents’ love for me failed in comparison for their love of… anything else.  On the other hand, when it comes to Paul, I am Number One in his heart and soul.

I’ve never experienced a love like that before, and it was something that I instinctually believed that I should latch onto and never let go.

But… I’m shy.

“Uhh…” I mumbled, “…I-I’m just w-wondering what it’d be like if we to… uh, if w-we were to, ya know…”  My face felt as if it’d catch on fire at any second as I was trying to bring up the topic of knotting to the older man.  There was no doubt in my mind that Daddy would be all on board, but I’m not one-hundred percent myself.  Plus, I don’t want him to think that I’m some kind of horny kid who can only think about one thing.

“If we were to what?” Daddy pressed, his broad chest vibrating as he spoke, spiking my arousal… which I’m sure he could smell.  Darn it.

“I-if we were to… make breakfast.  What would you like?” Why do I fail so badly?

Daddy snickered and rubbed at his tired face.  In fact, I hadn’t noticed it before during my hormonal frenzy, but there were dark bags underneath his eyes, making it look like the werewolf had stayed up all night.  “Well,” he sighed, “Daddy hasn’t gone grocery shopping yet, so all we have is cereal.  I hope that’s okay.”

I actually do like cereal, so that was totally fine.  “Alright,” I muttered, a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to discuss with Daddy what I’d wanted to bring up.

I followed the alpha into the kitchen where we silently ate our bowls of cereal together.  I knew that I was quiet because of my personality and my inner turmoil over trying to figure out if I really wanted to be knotted or not.  It’d be a ton of a lot easier if I had a pamphlet on this sort of thing, that way I could read up on all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the phenomena.  However, I had no clue why Paul was in silence, his brow still furrowed as he looked like he was also deep in thought, his cereal going soggy because he was too busy thinking than eating.

Once I finished my breakfast, I caught a whiff of my body funk, grimacing as I realized that I reeked of both mine and Daddy’s sweat.  Gross…

“I, um, I’m going to take a quick shower,” I mumbled, getting up from the small dining room table and placing my bowl and spoon into the sink.

Daddy flinched out of whatever daze he’d been in.  “Oh, uh, okay,” he nodded, resuming his blank stare into the air as he didn’t eat his cereal.  Okay, something’s up.

Nonetheless, I performed my hygiene routine, attempting to block everything out of my mind for the time being.  I was so confused over my newfound feelings for Paul— I can’t believe that I’m sort of falling for the persistent man!  He’d seriously torn down my walls as if they’d been constructed from paper, having absolutely no trouble whatsoever.  Plus, the man proved to be something I sort of needed.  After growing up with an absent father and the piss-poor father figure in Jonathan, I suppose that it was kind of necessary for me to develop some sort of relationship with an older man who would protect and look after me like a father.  I mean, of course Paul isn’t my father, he’s made it clear that there’s a difference between “Father” and “Daddy”, but I couldn’t help but sort of find some sense of solace in the fact that there was a massive age gap between us.

I’ve never had that sense of security that some children talk about when they mention their fathers.  I remember overhearing stories from classmates about how they’d used to have nightmares or be afraid of some imaginary monster, and they’d cried out for their fathers.  And miraculously, their fathers would always come running to them to protect them and/or comfort them.  Meanwhile, I’d always been told to just man up and deal from my stepdad or mom.  Now that Paul’s in my life, whenever I get scared, I know with absolutely certainty that I can yell out for Daddy and he’ll come rushing to me.  

That realization makes my heart flutter.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the kind of person who needs a man to take care of them.  It’s just nice to know that someone out there cares deeply for me on a level that I’ve never experienced from another man… well, actually because Paul’s a werewolf and I’m his mate, it’s on an even deeper level than normal.  Also, I do not think of Paul as my father— that’d be wildly inappropriate and disgusting.

Eww, if Paul really was my father, then I imagine I’d die on the spot.  But it’s a good thing that’s not gonna happen.  I don’t even know my dad.  And Paul’s not my father, he’s my Daddy— oh fudge.

I totally admitted it.  Paul is my Daddy.  My cock twitched as the epiphany dawned on me that I considered Paul to be my Daddy, completely succumbing to his Daddy!Kink relationship.  Man, maybe I should allow Daddy to knot me.  It makes sense in my head.  He loves me and I… care deeply for him.  Plus, he’s my mate so I doubt that he’d ever do anything to maliciously hurt me, so I assume that it’s safe to allow myself to be so vulnerable with him.

But, maybe I should talk about it with someone else.  Perhaps Ronnie would be willing to lend me a sympathetic ear?

Once I was all cleaned off and dressed, I exited the bathroom, finding a boxers-clad Daddy sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.  He unleashed a deep sigh, his broad shoulders rising and falling greatly as he did so.  Something must’ve been bothering him since he wasn’t his usual cocky self and was rather quiet.

“Are you alright?” I asked, trying to figure out what was wrong with Daddy.  I hope that it wasn’t something that I did.

He froze and snapped his face forward, looking rather pale.  “Y-yeah,” he stuttered, running a nervous hand through his black hair.  He leaned back on the couch and held out his arms.  “Baby, why don’t you come sit on Daddy’s lap.  There’s something we need to talk about.”

Oh, that was kind of weird.  “O-okay,” I stuttered, slowly walking further into the living room.  Without a moment’s hesitation, I took a seat on Daddy’s lap.  It was rather comfortable, sinking into Daddy’s loving hold as he secured his buff arms around me, pulling me in closer to his muscly torso… why had I been so against this in the past? Daddy’s lap was so soft (expect for one section which was rather hard) and so comfy that I just felt right.  This really was where I was supposed to me, further making my confusion all the more greater.

I could feel Daddy tense up as he placed his nose at my neck, inhaling deeply with pleasure.  “You know that Daddy loves you, right?” he growled.  “He loves his Baby with all his heart.”

I nodded.  “You’ve mentioned it before.”  Where was he going with this?

He sighed, staying so close to me that I felt his stubble-framed lips move as he spoke.  “But, um, Baby, there’s something that Daddy found out,” he mumbled, his deep voice taking on a nervous characteristic.  “A-and it’s something that I should’ve told you from the moment I discovered it, but things kinda got in the way.”

Okay, so obviously there was something that Daddy knew that upset him.  Using my power of deduction, I searched my mind for any occurrence that he could’ve heard about that would’ve brought about his attitude.  Perhaps he’d discovered the inner workings of my nightmarish relationship with Vincent? No, he knew that Vincent wasn’t nice to me, but he wasn’t aware of the full extent of the horrors I’d lived through.  Maybe Daddy had uncovered the fact that Howie had told me his past girls group fantasies? No, why would he want to talk to me about that? That can’t be it.  What else could Daddy be upset about… oh no.

What if Daddy had found out that I’d called Jonathan “Daddy” during a moment of weakness? In that list of rules that he’d given me, he didn’t specifically forbid me from calling other men “Daddy”.  However, knowing what I do know about Daddy and remembering how pissed he’d been when that guy had flirted with me at the grocery store, it was glaringly obvious that he was tad bit territorial.

“O-oh?” I stammered, my heart speeding up as I feared the worst.  “Wh-what is it?”

Daddy nuzzled me, sighing for the millionth time.  “Well,” he drew out, “real quick I’d like to reiterate the fact that the mating bond is uncontrollable and can affect any two people, no matter their relationship.  Shit, there’s even a pack in Medford that has three people involved: two wolves and one boy— kinda neat when you think about it.  Anyways, I’m rambling.  What I want to tell you is that I’m your Daddy, ya know?”

Oh my goodness, he knows.  That’s why he’s trying to emphasize that he’s my Daddy, not Jonathan.  Of course there’s no contest between the two.  Oh gross, imagine if Jonathan was a werewolf who claimed me as his mate— I’d probably cringe to death.  

Still, my anxiety began to grow deep inside of me.  Daddy was mad at me, and I was nervous about what sort of punishment I’d receive.  He’d mentioned spanking, but I was seventeen.  That’s way too old for a spanking!  Plus, I felt so disappointed in myself for some reason.  There appeared to be some sort of newfound desire to make Daddy pleased with me, and knowing that I let him down by calling Jonathan “Daddy” hurt me.  I was so bummed out that I betrayed him as his Baby.

“And, that being said,” Daddy continued, his voice sounding so low emotionally, “as your Daddy and your mate, there’s some sort of willingness to blur the lines.  All I wanna do is be with you and make you happy, but I’m… Look Baby, I, um, I’m your… fuck.  Darren, there’s something really important that I need to say, but I’m having trouble getting it out because… I-I don’t want you to leave me.”  Daddy was rigid as a stone right now, and his voice was growing all the more animated as he tried to tell me what he knew.

Oh crud, I’m in so much trouble.  He knew that I’d called Jonathan “Daddy”, there’s no doubt in my mind right now.  And worse of all, Daddy must’ve believed that I’d done it because I’d rather have Jonathan as a Daddy than him… ugh, I almost threw up.  This sucked.  This newfound admiration for Daddy was really messing with my mind, making it painful to deal with this.  My heart was racing in my chest and I fiddled with my fingers as I futilely attempted to remain calm and collected.

Daddy shook his head, sniffing a bit.  I couldn’t see his face, but it sounded like he was getting a bit emotional.  Darn it!  I really should just come clean so that this doesn’t tear him up anymore.  Even though I’m not exactly sure how he found out, I’m willing to bet that it was shredding up his insides.

“Baby,” he choked out, “there’s really an apology owed now.  I’m your fa—”

“Daddy, I’m sorry!” I blurted, unable to take the hurt tone in Daddy’s voice anymore.  I felt so guilty that I couldn’t resist crying out to make him feel the smallest bit better.  It was incredibly ironic how my attitude regarding the man had done a complete one-eighty, but I couldn’t deny that he held some sort of special place in my heart… as much as I didn’t really want to admit.

Daddy flinched.  “Huh?” he coughed.  “Wh-what are you talking about?”

Okay, so he was playing dumb, trying to get me to confess on my own.  It was a tactic that my mom had used sometimes whenever I’d gotten in trouble as a child: She’d always wait in the living room, asking if there was something I had to tell her.  Clever.

“I-I called Jonathan ‘Daddy’!” I winced, feeling the snarl build up in Daddy’s chest.  “B-but it was an accident, I swear!”

Daddy’s snarling grew louder and much more ferocious, his entire body shaking with rage as soon as I’d admitted my indiscretion.  In a flash, he flipped me off of his lap, tossing me on my back down onto the bouncy couch cushions.  Daddy hovered over me, his chest heaving with his snarls and his menacing fangs bared in my direction.

“You…called…another…man…’Daddy’?” he repeated, struggling to word his question as I saw his claws elongate.  Shoot, he was on the verge of phasing.

I shrank lower into the couch cushions, trying to appear as tiny as possible.  For a guy who already knew and was just attempting to bait the truth out of me firsthand, Daddy still reacted rather angrily when I’d vocally confirmed things.  “I’m s-sorry,” I whimpered.  It was odd though; even though Daddy was hovering over me like Vincent had done in the past, I could honestly say that I wasn’t afraid of him.  Of course I was cowering on the couch like some little kid, but the voice in the back of my head whispered to me that there was nothing to be scared of.

_Daddy won’t hurt us_ , it said confidently.  _We just have to take our punishment._

“Why?” Daddy growled, and I knew that he was demanding to know why I’d called Jonathan ‘Daddy’, which I was kind of too embarrassed to admit.  I didn’t want it to be known to him that I’d been struggling to come to terms with my growing Daddy!Kink and how I’d started to feel arousal at referring to Paul as ‘Daddy’, and only Paul.

“I j-just, uh, was trying to figure out if I had a D-Daddy!Kink,” I blushed, feeling immensely hot underneath the scrutinize glare of my pissed off Daddy.

All of his muscles seemed to flex as he appeared even bigger in his frustration.  “And?” he pressed, speaking through gritted teeth.  “What did you find out?” Very slowly, he began to lean down closer and closer to me, minimizing the space between us.

Swallowing loudly, I had to take a deep breath in order to get rid of the fluttering feelings inside of my chest as Daddy behaved all authoritarian on me.  I was kind of ashamed to admit that it really turned me on.  I was so frickin’ hard with the older man staring down at me, speaking in a parental/condescending tone as if he really were my Daddy in the biological sense of the word, not the kinky sense.  That really shouldn’t get my blood pumping though…

“I-I f-found out that I don’t,” I whispered.  “E-except for when… it’s you.”

“Oh?” Daddy smirked, crossing his beefy arms in front of his massive chest.  “So only Daddy turns you on, huh?”

That’s not exactly what I’d said… but yes.  I nodded.

“And you know why that is, right?” he grilled, his growling still filling in the space around us.

N-not really.  Too humiliated to speak, I just shook my head.

Daddy’s smirk grew even larger, matching the growing tent in his boxers.  “It means, Baby,” he snickered, “that although you yourself may not be aware of it, it seems that your subconscious is one-hundred percent aware of the truth.”

“The truth?”

He nodded, pursing his lips.  “That you belong to Daddy, and no one else.”

Could— could that really be true? Granted, I only get all hot and bothered whenever I refer to Paul as “Daddy”, could my subconscious really be only attracted to him and no one else? I mean, Vincent was hot, but he was also crazy so I couldn’t exactly say that I was attracted to him anymore.  Sure there were some celebrities that I’ve seen on TV and had fantasized that we were in an incredibly secret relationship, but none of them really had the sexy muscles or killer smile that Daddy had… oh no.

I think I’m only attracted to Paul/Daddy.

“I’m going to make this clear, Baby,” Daddy announced, tugging down his boxers and unleashing his giant cock, “you are mine, and no one else’s.  And if I ever hear about you calling another man ‘Daddy’ again, especially Jonathan, then I’ll have to kick their ass.  And then I’ll knot you in front of them to show them that you’re taken and that only I’m your Daddy.”  His demonic smirk grew even larger and his eyes flickered to their yellowish color.  “Take off your shirt.”

Huh? I’d honestly been under the impression that he’d tell me to flip over and pull down my pants so that he could give me a spanking.  “Why?” I wondered.

Daddy narrowed his glowing eyes at me, unleashing a loud snarl.  “Because Daddy said so,” he growled in an animalistic voice.  “Now, are you gonna be a good boy and listen to Daddy, or are you gonna be bad and disobey?”

I was so confused as to what was happening.  Still, I leaned forward and tugged my sweater and undershirt off of my body, neatly setting them down on the armrest of the sofa.  The apartment was a little cold, so I shivered both from the low temperature and from my nerves as I awaited whatever obscure punishment Paul had in store for me.

Daddy bit down on his lower lip as he raked his eyes up and down my thin form, nodding to himself.  “Yeah,” he moaned, “all of that is Daddy’s.  And Daddy’s gonna make it so that every man will know that you’re off limits.”

Was— was he going to knot me now?!

Daddy spit into his right hand, moving his arm down to start jerking his erect cock as he stood over me.  His buff arm flexed with the movement and he made eye contact with me as he pleasured himself.

This is very awkward…

I lied on the couch in silence as Paul beat his meat, struggling to figure out what to do.  On the one hand, I was quite flattered that a man could get off just by looking at me.  However, on the other hand, I wondered if there was something that I was supposed to be doing instead of playing dead.

“Ya ever seen a cock this big, Baby?” Daddy grunted, his muscles tensing up as he jerked off.

“N-no,” I mumbled, feeling insanely weirded out.  I’d honestly been under the impression that I’d receive some form of punishment.  Was watching Daddy masturbate a form of punishment? Because it was very awkward, so I guess it works.

“That’s right,” he panted, his arm picking up speed as his dick head flushed purple, aching for release.  “Daddy’s got the biggest cock you’ll ever have.  And when I knot you later tonight, you’ll be crying out at first when I enter your tight hole.  But once you adjust, you’ll be on your knees begging for Daddy’s cock twenty-four/seven.  Oh, and by the way.”  His breathing became more erratic as he approached climax.  “I’ve seen Jonathan’s cock, and you wouldn’t even notice if it entered you… which it never will, will it Baby?”

Eww, of course not.  “No, Daddy,” I answered, shaking my head to add emphasis that that would never ever happen for as long as I live.  And wait, what did he mean by knotting me tonight?

“And why is that?” he grunted, stepping a little bit closer to the couch.

*Sigh, I know what he’s trying to get at.  I suppose that it’ll be smarter to just play along in order to avoid a spanking or any other kind of weird punishments.  “Because,” I shyly murmured, “I’m all yours, Daddy.”

Daddy tensed up, his head leaning back as he grunted.  Cum shot out from his cock, the long strings landing on my bare chest.  The jizz felt warm at first as the covered my skin, Daddy coming a lot, but then they quickly grew cold as oxygen was exposed to them.

Daddy’s chest and broad shoulders heaved as he panted from his orgasm, cracking his neck from side to side as he let go of his spurting cock.  “That felt great,” he breathed, leaning down real quick to plant a quick kiss onto my stunned lips.  “Love ya, Baby.”

I was frozen, having no clue as to what to say.  I’ve never had anyone finish on me before.  Inside me, yes, but never on my skin!  And Daddy must have a third ball or something because my chest and stomach were covered in the sticky, white semen.  There was barely a patch of dry skin on my torso, making me shiver when the chilly air hit it.  I sat up and looked around me for a tissue or towel to clean myself off.

“Um, I’m going to take another shower,” I mumbled, grimacing as I looked down at my coated body.

Daddy snickered and crossed his beefy arms in front of his chiseled chest again, flexing his biceps as he did so.  “No you’re not, Baby,” he tsked.  “Since you like to call other men ‘Daddy’, you’re going to have to have my cum on you all day.  Its smell will alert all werewolves in the area, letting them know that you belong to me.”

…he’s crazy.  “R-really?” I gasped.

He nodded.  “Yep,” he beamed, actually smiling widely with his fangs poking out of his mouth.  “All day you’ll feel Daddy’s cum on you, constantly reminding you that you belong to Daddy.”  He snatched my sweater and undershirt off of the armrest.  “Arms up.”

“…uh, I’m not sure this is sanitary,” I tried to argue.

There was a loud knock on the door, making me jump in my seat.

“Alpha!” I heard Ronnie’s peppy voice yell from outside.  “Open up!”

“Coming!” Daddy called back, looking back down at me with an expectant look on his face, my clothes still in his claws.  “Call me shy, but I don’t want Ronnie to see you covered in Daddy’s cum.  So please cover up.”

Speechless, I knew that there was no room for debate at the moment.  Worst case scenario, I can just change and shower once Daddy gets distracted.  However, my mind was still wandering over to what he’d mentioned regarding knotting me tonight, further fueling my anxiety.  A part of me was fine with it, but another part of me was nervous to be so vulnerable in front of another man after all of the experiences that I’d undergone.  Trying to piece things together, I figured that it was good that Ronnie was coming over so that I could try to ask her about all of the ramifications of knotting from a human’s standpoint.  

Sighing, I tugged on my sweater and undershirt, wincing as I felt Daddy’s thick cum cling to the fabric of my undershirt, plastering it to my chest.  Luckily my undershirt was the only fabric affected, allowing my sweater to billow out from my body like normal.

Daddy smirked down at me, licking his lips before walking over to the front door.  He quickly tugged his boxers back over his soft dick.  He undid both locks and swung it open, revealing Ronnie, Lola, and Nicky on the other side.

“Alpha!” Ronnie cheered, stepping inside and bouncing in place.  “We’re gonna go to the mall, so we’ve come to snag Alpha Mate.  Can he come?”

I could feel my heart fall at the aspect going out in public with Daddy’s cum coating my stomach.  What if it soaked though my top layer and everybody thought that I was some kind of pervy weirdo? “Um, I’m not sure—“

“I think that sounds like it could fun,” Daddy nodded.  “I have some cash saved up in the room, lemme grab you some.”  He turned and walked off towards the bedroom, giving me a wink as he passed by.

Ronnie, unaware of the icing that covered my body, happily talked away.  “It’s gonna be so much fun!” she beamed.  “They’re opening a new H&M at the mall!  Can you believe it? We used to have to drive all the way down to San Francisco in order to go to one of those!”

“Oh… cool,” I mumbled, having no clue how to respond to any of that.  I awkwardly fidgeted in my seat on the couch, trying to peel my undershirt off of my body.  Whenever I pinched some of the fabric to pull it forward, I could feel Daddy’s cum trying to keep it glued to me; whenever I let go, it pasted itself right back in place.  *Sigh.

Daddy returned to the living room, holding out a few twenties for me to take.  “Make sure you buy yourself something nice, Baby,” he smiled.  “You deserve it.”

The girls aww’d in the background, but Nicky was as silent as ever.

I tentatively grabbed the money from him, even allowing him to help me up to my feet.  “Um, thank you,” I muttered, feeling a little uneasy about leaving the apartment in my predicament.  There was no way that I wanted people to find out that Daddy had jizzed all over mere minutes ago.  However, I was desperate to ask my fellow humans for some advice regarding knotting.  I was on the fence about it, and hopefully I could make a decision after talking to them.

“I love you, Baby,” Daddy said, yanking me into tight hug.  As soon as he tightened his arms, a sickening squishing noise sounded out as he used his chest to smear his cum all over me and my undershirt… that clever jerk.  He lowered his face and whispered into my ear, “You smell so good.”  

He quickly pecked me on the lips before pulling back and giving me a gentle shove towards the waiting teenagers.

“You guys have fun,” he smirked, his yellow eyes honing in on my stunned face.  “And make sure you behave.”

“We will, Alpha!” Ronnie called back, snagging a tight hold of my wrist, practically dragging me out of the apartment.  The four of us bolted down the stairs and hurried into the parking lot, where I nearly wailed as soon as Ronnie hopped into the driver’s seat.

Still, I slowly climbed into the backseat, wincing at the sensation of the seatbelt pressing up against the cooling cum underneath my clothes.  Man, this is going to be a rough day.

Ronnie floored the gas pedal out of the parking lot, speeding down the road, going twenty over the speed limit.  “Finally!” she breathed.  “We finally get a Mates’ Day all to ourselves.”

Lola nodded.  “It was smart not telling Alpha that we were going to the mall in Port Steele,” she chuckled.  “Now the guys won’t ‘coincidentally’ show up.”  She laughed at what she said, making it dawn on me that we were actually going to have a day away from the werewolves.  Just humans.

Even Nicky had a faint smile on his face, his head lazily bobbing to the beat of the song that played on the radio.

Okay, this could work out.  I’m going to be spending some time with my fellow human mates with no interruptions from Daddy or any of the other werewolves.  That means that I can ask any questions that I want about knotting and hopefully receive some honest, unbiased answers.  Yeah, this could actually be a good day.

I frowned when I realized that my seatbelt was pressed against my torso so hard that some of Daddy’s cum had seeped through my top layer sweater, creating a small wet spot in the center of my chest.  

Well, of course things can’t go one-hundred percent perfectly.  But still, I was finally going to decide whether or (k)not Daddy was going to knot me tonight.


	23. The Love Club

****“The Love Club” - Lorde

_Be a part of the love club / Everything will glow for you / You’ll get punched for the love club / For the love club / I joined the club and it’s all on_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Darren, Good News]**   
****

_“Darren!  Can you c’mere?” Jonathan called from the dining room, his shrill voice easily traveling through the house to reach me all the way upstairs in my bedroom._

_I closed my laptop and scooted away from my desk, making sure to roll my sleeves back down to hide the bruises that Vincent had left on my forearms when he’d gripped them too tightly during an argument.  To be honest, I could barely even recall why we’d began to fuss, but eventually he’d snatched a strong hold of me and had dragged me back towards his car… I think I didn’t want to get in the car with him because he’d had a few beers and I hadn’t felt comfortable with him driving me home.  Well, at least I made it home…_

_I descended the stairs, catching the very end of Jonathan and Mom’s conversation with one another._

_“…I’m not sure this is good idea,” Mom whispered, her hushed tone sounding a bit worried.  I hope everything’s alright.  “I mean, what is they meet up?”_

_Jonathan gave a light-hearted chuckle and as I rounded the corner, I saw them sitting at the dining room table.  He had a secure arm wrapped around her petite shoulders in a comforting manner.  “Don’t worry,” he cooed, his voice the softest I’ve ever heard it, “it’s been seventeen years.  For all we know, he’s probably not even there anymore.”_

_Mom pursed her lips into a fine line, slowly shaking her head.  “I’m not sure…”_

_My stepdad continued to try to comfort her as I quietly approached.  I wasn’t wearing any shoes, so my feet silently traveled over the tile in our home, the A/C keeping it freezing cold beneath my feet which was greatly welcomed in the 100+ temperature of El Paso._

_“Laura,” he said gently, “I’ll look after him, don’t worry.  There’s no way I’ll let him anywhere near Darren if he’s still living there—” What were they talking about?_

_I cleared my throat as I entered the living room, making my parents jump and go silent.  Mom stared down at her small cup of coffee that was within her grasp while Jonathan straightened his posture, attempting to look all authoritarian as he puffed out his small and undeveloped chest._

_“Darren,” he announced in a deep voice, “due to my father’s declining health and my work, your mother and I have decided that it’d be best if we relocate.”_

_“You mean,_ you _decided,” Mom muttered, taking a sip of her coffee as she rolled her eyes._

_Jonathan waved her off.  “Anyways, you and I will be leaving next week while your mom stays to wrap things up here at the house.”_

_Mom perked up, biting down on her lip for a moment.  She looked really nervous for some reason, all of the color draining from her face.  “M-maybe it’d be better if he stays here with me,” she suggested.  “Then Darren and I can fly out when things are finished here.”_

_Moving? Fly out? Where were we going?_

_“Um, wh-where are we moving to?” I squeaked, my curiosity peaking._

_“Crescent City,” Jonathan answered.  “It’s our hometown back in California.”_

_California? But Mom hates California!  Why would we be moving there?  I silently cocked my eyebrow over at my mother who continued to scowl down at her coffee cup, quietly fuming.  I know that look that’s pasted onto her face: She’s pouting about something.  However, that was quickly forgotten as soon as the greatest realization in the world popped into my mind: If I move to California, then there’d be no more Vincent!_

_Instantly a smile stretched out onto my face and I could feel my fingers and toes start to tingle with excitement.  It’s over!  It’s finally over!  After such a long time of fearing for my own safety and hiding all the bruises and scrapes from my parents, it’d finally be all over.  No more Vincent!_

_“See? He seems to like the idea,” Jonathan grinned as he gestured over at my beaming face._

_Mom sighed, rubbing at her temples.  “I’m still not sure…”_

_My arms seemed to throb where my bruises were, and I began to fear the possibility of Mom ruining this wonderful opportunity.  Shoot, I’ve never felt more excited for anything in the entire world.  I mean, sure, it really sucked that I’d have to go with Jonathan all by myself at first, but I have to take the good with the bad sometimes.  In this case, the good definitely outweighed the bad._

_“It sounds like fun,” I piped up, turning to Mom.  “I d-don’t mind leaving early either.”_

_She stared up at my sincere face, her eyes running over it as if she were searching for any indication of me lying.  “Suit yourself,” she finally huffed, getting up from her seat to storm off towards her bedroom._

_“You’ll like Crescent City,” Jonathan commented as my mother retreated.  “Lots of nice people there.  I’m sure you’ll meet a couple of really interesting folk who will… be delighted to see you.”  He smirked and turned to head off into the kitchen._

_That was a weird way of putting things, but who cares? I can finally leave Vincent!  Nothing was going to ruin the euphoria that I was experiencing right now.  I just couldn’t believe it; after months of being a punching bag, I finally saw the ending within my grasp.  Now, all I have to do is remain quiet so that my boyfriend doesn’t suspect a thing.  And before he knows it, I’m off in California, ready to live my brand new and safe life._

_Yay!  This was best news I could have ever received!_

**Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ**

**[Darren, Present Day]**

Ronnie drove us to the mall in Port Steele, dangerously breaking the speed limit the entire way there.  When we finally arrived, my brain had gone completely numb due to my fear reserves draining.  I wasn’t sure how this mall could be classified as a shopping mall since it was only one-story and a majority of the stores were either catered to outdoorsy hikers or looked so dead that the employees looked excruciatingly bored out of their minds.  It was nothing like the giant malls in Texas where I’d always get lost without even trying.

After looking through the new H&M for two hours (I’m never going shopping with Ronnie or Lola ever again), we wandered through the food court, trying to figure out which line was the shortest for lunch.  I opted for the pizza joint since there were only six people in line, as opposed to the Chinese food place which had fifteen.

However, my mind was still far away as I struggled to come to terms with trying to make a decision on whether or not I’d allow Paul/Daddy to knot me tonight.  It was a very conflicting feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach.  On the one hand, he was extremely annoying at times and made me want to pull my hair out of my head every time he flashes me that cocky grin of his.  Then again, he is the only person in this entire town who I seem to trust.  Honestly, whenever I thought about it, if I had to make a split-second decision on who to save my life in any kind of predicament, and the choices were Mom, Jonathan, or Paul— I’d choose Paul each and every single time.  But still, did having my complete and utter faith in someone equate to me having feelings for them?

…eh, kinda.

That really brought about another question: How do I feel about Daddy?

Oh man, that’s really some dark territory that I probably shouldn’t venture into just yet.  I can only focus on one mental turmoil at a time.  Otherwise, I’ll probably get premature wrinkles from all of the stressing out that I’ve been doing lately… I’m actually surprised that my hair hasn’t fallen out yet.

_Don’t be stupid, you like Daddy_ , the voice in the back of my head taunted, growing all the more persistent lately.  _Shit, you might even love—_

“Shut up,” I hissed under my breath, smacking my hand against my own head in a sad attempt to silence that irritating voice.

The woman in front of me in line eyed me like I was crazy and repositioned her purse in front of herself, making my face blush a little bit.

This was really starting to get out of hand.  Because I’m terminally shy, I hadn’t asked anyone about knotting yet and it was making me all tense and anxious.  I could barely answer a single “How does this look?” question because, despite not even being the smallest bit interested, my mind was a million miles away.  If I wasn’t trying to figure out my feelings for Daddy or wondering on whether or not we’d knot tonight, my brain disgustingly focused on the drying cum that coated my chest.  It had crusted up by now, making my undershirt feel uncomfortably stiff and my stomach seemed to be all flaky.  I was nervous that some of the cum would peel off and land on the floor, turning me into some perverted Hansel and Gretel story, but instead of breadcrumbs I’m using Daddy’s cum to mark my movements.  Ugh.

However, I knew in the pit of my stomach that if I didn’t get some answers to my questions soon, then I’d explode into a burst of hormones.  As soon as I got to the front of the line, the greasy employee’s eyes widened as he deeply inhaled.

“Hi,” I said, taking another glance at the offered pizzas behind the sneeze guard, “could I please get a slice of the Hawaiian—?”

“Y-yes, Sir,” the worker stuttered, a thick sweat beading up on his forehead.  It looked like he was purposefully averting my gaze, making me feel incredibly awkward… well, at least I was the last person in line, so no one got to spectate this.  The poor kid was shaking with what looked like fright as he fumbled about, grabbing my slice of pizza and quickly reheating it in the brick oven behind him.  “A-anything else that I can get for you, Sir?”

Um, maybe it’s his first day and he’s just nervous? “Could I please get a Pepsi?” I asked, my voice going all quiet due to how uncomfortable I felt.  This poor guy must’ve been shy like me, and when two shy people meet… it’s usually pretty sad.

“O-of course,” the boy stammered.  “Anything else, Sir?” I’m not even older than him it looks like, so why was he referring to me as ‘Sir’? This was kind of weird, but nonetheless I just went with it, chalking it up to good customer service.

“No thank you,” I said, shifting my weight from foot to foot as I waited.

With shaky hands, the employee gathered up my drink and my slice of pizza, putting them on a tray before handing them to me.  

“Thank you,” I said, holding out some of the money that Daddy had given me.

However, the worker paled and shook his head, taking a step back as he still refused to look me in the eyes.  “N-no,” he stuttered.  “Consider it on the house, c-courtesy of the Port Steele Pack.  Pl-please give my regards to your Alpha.”

Instantly I felt as if I’d collapse onto the floor out of sheer humiliation.  I was dumb; I knew with absolute certainty that the employee who evidently was a werewolf, could smell Daddy’s cum all over me.  Paul, that clever jerk, he knew what he was doing by marking me with his jizz.  Darn it!

“I will, th-thank you,” I shyly murmured as I took my food and fast-walked over to the table where Ronnie, Lola, and Nicky sat.  I set my tray down onto the table, attempting to repress that cringe-filled experience from my memory.

“…and so then I faked sick, and he totally pampered me all weekend,” Lola was saying as I sat down.  “Seriously, it’s the best way to get over that feeling of impending doom you get when you have all these assignments due at the same time.  It also doesn’t help the fact that I put them all off until now.”  She sighed and pinched the skin above her nose.  “Seriously, I have to write two essays and put together an entire science project before tomorrow… and I haven’t even picked a topic for my project yet.  Damn.”

“Just don’t do it,” Ronnie shrugged.  “I’m sure your Daddy won’t mind.”

Lola shook her head.  “No, he said if I get another F on my report card, then I’m grounded.”

“How— what? How does Rhett ground you?” I blurted, genuinely shocked and curious about how one can ground their significant other in a relationship, even if it was one soaked with Daddy!Kink.  D-did that mean that Paul would try to ground me and take away some of my TV privileges if I misbehaved?

She shrugged, taking a bite of her burger that she’d purchased from Wendy’s.  “Nothing too big,” she admitted.  “He usually either ups my bedtime or has me be all koala bear with him.”

“Ooh, I love doing that,” Ronnie interjected.

Nicky and I shared a confused look, making me feel a little grateful that I wasn’t the only one out of the loop on the werewolf daddy etiquette.  “What does that mean?” I wondered aloud, starting to pick at my slice of pizza that I’d received for free thanks to Daddy… or thanks to his cum.

Lola snickered as if this were general information that I should’ve been aware of already.  “Oh, Darren,” she giggled.  “Sometimes I forget how new you are to all of this.  Whenever you play ‘Koala” as we call it— well, ya know how a koala always latches on to trees in the wild?”

I nodded.

“It’s like the same thing.  Except instead of the koala, it’s you and instead of a tree, it’s your Daddy.  So whenever I receive it as a punishment, then because Rhett’s kinda silly, I’m not allowed to touch the floor at all and I have to spend all day in my Daddy’s arms.  Sometimes I’m not allowed to wear clothes.”

…um, that sounds… fun, to be honest.  But of course I’ll never verbally admit that to Paul.  “Oh,” I swallowed, my heart speeding up as I envisioned the two of us playing that perverted game.  Shoot, Daddy was so buff that I’d most likely have trouble attempting to keep my arms wrapped around him; but he’s also so strong that he’d probably have no problem keeping me off of the ground.  Even Nicky seemed to be silent in thought, his dark eyes staring off into space as he perhaps was imagining doing the same thing with Patrick.

The four of us continued to eat our lunch, making small talk here and there.  However, the entire time my mind seemed to be demanding me bring up the topic of knotting.  However, I wasn’t quite up to date on the proper method of how to bring up werewolf penises during a meal— I’m fairly sure my mother would not approve of such a risqué topic of conversation.  Plus, I didn’t want to look like some sort of horny little teenager.  Therefore, I figured that a smooth transition into the topic would be the safe way to go.

“So,” I cleared my throat, interrupting Ronnie’s recap of some show that I haven’t seen, “um, c-could you guys tell me how you met your… uh, Daddies?”

The girls’ faces lit up with zeal and they visibly bounced up and down in their seats.

“Well,” Nicky piped up, finishing off his soda loudly, “I woke up from a coma and found out that I was married to Patrick.  So that’s how we met.”  Oh, I didn’t know that they were married.  How old was Nicky?

Ronnie playfully pushed his elbow.  “Oh, don’t saw it like that,” she teased.  “I know for a fact that you’re starting to warm up to your Daddy, aren’t you?”

A pink hue formed on the quiet boy’s face and he fought to hide a growing smile.  “M-maybe,” he stuttered, looking away from the rest of us.  “You know, we actually had sex last night, and he did this thing with his hips that made me…” He continued to stare off into space, a dazed grin on his embarrassed face.  “…yeah, it was great.”

Oh, okay, so we’ll talk about sex right away.  “Oh,” I said, trying to steer the conversation into my intended topic, “so would you say that you two knot—“

“Well, I remember very vividly how I met Justin,” Ronnie reminisced, totally taking back the conversation away from knotting, darn it.  “His dad married my mom when I was a baby, so I grew up believing that he was just my older, overly-protective brother.  We were always attached by the hip so when I discovered that he was a…” She trailed off and looked around us to make sure no one was eavesdropping.  “…a werewolf, I didn’t really mind.  Come to think of it, I’d been binge-watching a ton of _True Blood_ , so I was rather excited.”  That really is a great show.

“So…” Nicky pressed, scrunching up his face, “you two aren’t related, right?”

“No,” Ronnie chuckled, “no, we’re not.”  She paused and gave me a sympathetic look— why? “Not, um, not that there’d be anything wrong with that.  Love is love, amiright?”

Um… I guess.

“Anyways,” Ronnie continued, waving away her tangent, “what I was getting at was that I kinda knew that there was something there with Justin in the beginning.  I mean, he disappeared every full moon, he growled at random dudes who came up to talk to me, and he called Paul ‘Alpha’ whenever the two of them were together.  I mean, someone would have to have some serious brain malfunction to not piece it together immediately.”

Well, in my defense, I’d been under the impression that the Crescent City Pack was a cult, not a group of werewolves.  So I mean, c’mon.

She leaned back in her chair, smiling as she thought over her life with Justin.  The two of them really did seem happy together.  Whenever I saw them, they were always side by side with giant smiles plastered onto their faces.  Come to think of it, they looked more like best friends at first with the lover-part being an undertone.  That was sweet, and it kind of made me want to have had been friends with Paul before he became my Daddy.  Maybe if I’d known him for my whole life, then the transition into a relationship would’ve been a little bit easier? Who knows.  All I knew was that Daddy and I had had a rocky beginning, but a part of me wanted to smooth out those edges.

_And get totally wrecked by his cock_ , the voice added, making me cringe. 

Well, yes, that too.  However, I still had such a bitter taste in mouth when it came to sex (no pun intended) all thanks to Vincent.  It’d always been so painful and such a displeasurable experience.  Paul was hyperbolically larger than my ex-boyfriend, so logic dictates that sex with him would be excruciating and would most likely result in me being split into two halves.  No thank you.

“Bro, I got your story topped,” Lola happily said as she cleared her throat and wiped her fingers off on her napkin.  “I met Rhett a couple years ago when I was fifteen and my father hired him— oh, I guess I should mention that my father is a California congressman, so he thought that we’d need some added security at our house….”  

As she spoke, both Ronnie and Nicky were all ears, even propping their heads up on their elbows as they took in each and every word of this impromptu story time.

“…and so we lived in the Upper East side in the large homes that overlook the ocean— beautiful house, ya know? We had three bathrooms just upstairs.  Anyways, my father hired Rhett to be like a bodyguard since he’d received some threats from some protest group since he wanted to do something… I’m not sure, I think he was gonna push forward some nuclear power thing.  Anyways, Rhett was assigned to be my bodyguard and I was kind of a brat back then because, ya know, my family was rich.  And I mean we were loaded with a summerhouse in Oahu and a yacht in the harbor.  So yeah, I didn’t really listen to any of Rhett’s rules, so he took it upon himself to give me a spanking whenever I disobeyed.  I must’ve had one at least everyday for the first two weeks that I knew him.  So yeah, one day he tells me he’s a werewolf and that I’m his mate.  And I’m like, ‘I didn’t know you were on drugs’ since I mean, who would take something like that seriously? But evidently, it was true and he brought me to the Run where he caught me rather quickly.  Then middle, middle, middle, and now I’m happily living with my Daddy… who I still give a hard time because, why not?”

That honestly was a good story that I would’ve totally read had it been a manga.  But still, none of my desired questions had been answered.  Other than Nicky liking Patrick’s hip motions, I had no idea about sex with a werewolf!  Why wasn’t there a book on this subject that I could just check out at the library? I was growing impatient, and as the rest of the group continued to talk about regular, daily activities with their Daddies, I could feel my anticipation bubbling up in my gut until it burst forward, unable to be contained anymore.

“I’m thinking about having sex with my Daddy,” I blurted, my face automatically turning cherry red, especially when the table across the food court from us even had its occupants give me a weirded out look.  I immediately slapped my hands over my mouth, wishing that I was the proud owner of a time machine.

“You mean… you haven’t been knotted yet?” Ronnie asked, cocking her eyebrow at me.  “Like, how did you even handle your first heat? ‘Cause I felt like I was bathing in molten lava.  I craved that relief.”

I silently shook my head, feeling a tad better since my group of new friends weren’t making a big deal out of this like I’d feared.  Initially, I’d been apprehensive to bring it up since I’d figured that they’d want to throw some kind of parade in my honor, with paper mâché floats depicting me bent over with a werewolf on top of me.   However, instead of bursting out into hysterics or throwing their hands up into the air, they seemed to react like they were genuinely willing to help me out during my confusing time.

I suppose humans need to help out their fellow species every now and then.

Lola wiped her mouth off with her crumbled up napkin, tossing her trash onto her emptied tray.  “Well,” she pursed her lips, “I’ve never done it up the butt, so I can’t really say too much about how it feels to have a knot up there…”  She directed her eyes towards the only other male at the table.

Ronnie followed suit, her eyes glued to Nicky who picked at a skin tag on his index finger.  “Yeah,” she said, “if only there was someone here who recently had anal sex with their Daddy so that they could tell the Alpha Mate what to expect…”

Nicky just grunted.  “Have you ever seen those tiny holes on your cable box that you have to push a needle or pen top through in order to reset it?”

I silently nodded.

“Well, imagine that’s you and your Daddy is trying to reset the box,” he explained.  “But, instead of a needle, he’s using a submarine.”

…ouch.

Ronnie rolled her eyes.  “It’s not that big of a deal,” she explained, waving her hands around animatedly.  “I mean… well, yes, it is a very, _very_ big deal to have a werewolf knot you since you have to know for sure that you’re ready.  Because once you get knotted, then the bond is sealed, like with the strongest superglue on the planet.  Think of it like, all of the mating potential is in your butt, but then your Daddy plugs it up there to make it stick… using his dick.”  She pursed her lips and took a quick sip of her sugary drink.  “There’s no turning back, so you need to be super sure that you’re ready.”

Lola nodded in agreement.  “I didn’t knot on my first heat either,” she admitted, giving me a reassuring look.  “The main reason was that I was quite ready for that form of physical intimacy since I was still a virgin.  Rhett understood though and he didn’t push me at all.”  She stared off towards the ceiling windows of the mall, a faint smile growing on her lips.  “But when we finally did do it, it was magical.”

Okay, so maybe I wasn’t too familiar with the ramification that knotting held.  I’d been under the impression that it was just sex, but with a werewolf instead of a human.  Vincent had told me that having sex was something that couples did in order to show that they deeply cared for one another.  That was why I was contemplating doing it with Daddy: because I was actually starting to have feelings for the man, begrudgingly.  However, I’d had no clue whatsoever that it was like a finalization of our mating status (truth be told, I’d believed that him biting me during the Run had handled that).  Therefore, if I really wanted to be knotted by Daddy, then I would have to be prepared to spend the rest of my life with the man.  Was I willing to do that?

_Yes!_ the voice scoffed in the back of my head.  _Who saved us from the vampire?_

Well, Daddy did.

_Correct.  And who helped us out during our first heat and didn’t force himself on us?_

Um… Daddy did.

_Mm-hmm.  And who gave us a lift home when the van had crapped out?_

Technically it was his fault that the van wouldn’t start up at the grocery store, but, Daddy did.

_Whatever, minuscule tidbits don’t matter.  What does matter is that Daddy has always been there for us, has he not?_

Well, I mean, yes he has.  But there were times in which he’d been a bit too persistent, nearly ruining things for me at home.  However, when I paused to think about it, I was rarely even at home with Jonathan ever since Paul had claimed me.  It seemed that, mentally, I’d already been prepared to practically move in with the man into his tiny apartment.  That was moving a bit fast though, right? Regardless of speed regulations, I nearly gasped all of the oxygen out of the mall when I realized that it’d been a while since I worried about coming off as gay to my peers or even to strangers.  Shoot, just a couple of days ago, I’d been lying to Ronnie and Lola, telling them that I was straight.  However, now here I am, mentioning how I was thinking about having sex with a man twice my age!

And that didn’t bother me.

It should’ve.  I should’ve been cringing or trying to come up with a cover story, claiming that I was just going through some very temporary phase, but at the end of the day, I was a heterosexual… but I didn’t.  No, I didn’t seem to care at the moment (mainly because my parents weren’t around) because I also knew with absolutely certainty that if things went south with my living situation at home, that Daddy would rush to my aid.

_And you know why, right?_ the voice pressed.

Because I technically count as pack now, and as the Alpha, it’s Paul’s job to take care of the pack.  Wow, he must really take his position seriously.

_You’re a dumbass_ , the voice snorted, making me frown.  _No, it’s because Daddy is in love with you!_

He has mentioned that before, and I do suppose that it might be of some merit; but I have heard that dreaded L-word from others, only to have it backfire in the worst ways possible.

_You’re hopeless…_

On the other hand, Daddy has never laid a finger on me in a harmful way.  Therefore, I suppose that his love for me could be true, like the ones in the fairy tales that my mother used to read to me when I was a toddler and before she married my stepdad.  Perhaps, Paul really is in love with me in the purest sense of the phrase, meaning that he wouldn’t ever do anything to maliciously hurt me.  I mean, I do trust him more than my own family, and I do feel safest whenever he’s around.  Also, I do think he’s the sexiest man to ever walk the earth.  Plus, his touch is like lightening that makes the hair on my arms stand up at attention.

M-maybe I could let him knot me.

“I th-think I can do it,” I muttered aloud to my friends.

The girls bounced up and down in their chairs excitedly.  “Ooh!” Ronnie squealed.  “Okay, so whether you do it or not, we need to make sure that you’re looking your best when you bring up the topic to Alpha.  That way, there’s no way he can refuse!”

I highly doubt that Daddy would refuse an invitation to knot me, but I better have all of my bases covered just in case he does.  Man, that would really be a severe blow to my ego if he does.  Still, I figured that Ronnie was right in a sort of way once I read between the lines of her ramblings: I should really be having this discussion with Paul himself.  It seemed as if my human companions have all been knotted, and each one of them had enjoyed it.  Therefore, perhaps sex with Paul wouldn’t be something that would kill me.

“Let’s go back to H&M!” Ronnie cheered, leaping up from her seat and snatching a strong hold of my wrist, literally dragging me though the mall and back to her favorite store in the building.

I was stunned silent as my friends shoved massive articles of clothing into my numb arms, the pile consisting of items I’d never wear on my own free will.  Normally, I tend to wear very conservative clothes, consisting of blue jeans and a plain t-shirt or sweater that is a solid color— my attire does not attract attention to me whatsoever, which I liked.  However, I was being quickly tossed v-necks with the neck so low that it’d show off an uncomfortable swath of my skin, jeans that were labelled “SKINNY” that would be plastered to my thin legs, and Nicky of all people even threw me a package of underwear that were designed to cup and push my genitals forward while covering less than fifty percent of my behind.

I can’t wear any of these!  Why couldn’t Paul have had some kind of puffy winter coat fetish? I can so rock a puffy winter coat.

“Um, are you sure that these will look good on me?” I grimaced as Ronnie eyed a button down shirt with a bright yellow floral pattern on it.

“Not really,” she admitted.  “But that’s why they have changing rooms, so you and Nicky go try those on while me and Lola find more stuff, ‘kay?”

“You know, I have some nice sweatpants I can just wear…”

“The fitting rooms are over there,” she interrupted me, shoving me in the direction of the rooms where I’d be forced to try on each article of awkward clothing.  Ugh, maybe this could have a silver lining.  I mean, Ronnie has been knotted by Justin, so she must know what she’s talking about.  Plus, she has known Paul a lot longer than I have, therefore it’s safe to assume that she’s quasi-familiar with his taste.

I locked myself into the fitting room at the end of the long hallway as Nicky sat down on the chair just outside the door.  “Just come out when you’re dressed,” he muttered.  “Or not.  I still think you should just wear a sock over your junk.  That would turn Alpha on more than some blue jeans.  I’m just throwing that out there.”

Yeah, there’s no way that will ever happen.

Wanting to change the subject, I searched my brain for something— anything else to talk about.  “So, um,” I stalled, taking off my shirt, wincing when I noticed that white crust that coated my entire stomach that flaked off in large chunks (I really hope that no one buys these clothes after I try them on… just burn them), “h-how’re things with you and Patrick lately?”

I could hear light thumping as Nicky tapped his foot against the floor.  “I’m not gonna lie,” he said, “at first I was super bummed to wake up and find out that I was paired to a werewolf.  But— and don’t you dare tell Patrick this because then he’ll be all like ‘I told you so’, I’ve really been coming around to the idea of being his.”

“So I guess you could say that he broke through your defenses?” I chuckled, finding the similarities between us striking.

“No,” Nicky scoffed.  “Well, I mean… y-yeah, he totally did.  And it was weird too, because when he revealed… or I supposed re-revealed that he was a werewolf to me, I was scared shitless and wanted nothing more than to get away from the dude.  But now, I guess you could say that I… love him.”  I could hear the boy’s breathing pick up as he revealed that to me and most likely to himself.

It was nice talking to Nicky about having a werewolf mate, mainly because he and I were sort of in the same boat.  I didn’t have amnesia, but we’d both been thrusted into the world of werewolves without any warning, being tied to very possessive men who relentlessly pursued us.  Although we’d fought viciously for said men to simply leave us alone, they’d eventually broken down our walls and even had us calling them “Daddy”.

Darn it, Paul had me happily calling him “Daddy” like it was no big deal.  I suppose that does mean that the man holds a special place in my heart.  Perhaps like with Nicky and Patrick, I would be able to fall in love with Paul… maybe.

“How’re you gonna ask Alpha for that dick?” Nicky asked nonchalantly, making me choke out of surprise from his bluntness.

I tugged on the v-neck shirt that Ronnie had picked out for me, wondering just exactly how I was going to bring up the conversation of knotting to Daddy himself.  It’d been a tiny bit difficult to bring it up to my fellow human mates, therefore it’d be astronomically harder to bring it up to the dude I planned to do.  I could just take a page from Nicky and straight up ask Daddy if he wanted to have sex, all nonchalantly as if I were mentioning the weather outside.  I could be all coy and seductive, wearing one of these new outfits that I was trying on, looking completely irresistible as I toyed with the older man, turing him into putty in my small hands.  Or, and this was the most likely option, I could just wait years and years until Daddy brings it up since that’s just how my personality works.

“Um, I’m not sure,” I mumbled as I began to slip into the skinny jeans that the girls had grabbed for me.  They were extremely tight, making me have to jump and down in order to tug the denim all the way up to my waist.  When I finally had them buttoned up, they clung to my butt so much that it looked as if someone had just spray painted my lower half navy blue.  The v-neck that I wore was way too revealing for my taste, the neck line plunging down dangerously low and displaying some of my ribcage. 

 Yeah, I cannot pull off sexy at all.  Instead of being filled with confidence that people on TV usually experience when trying on brand new outfits during shopping montages, I was still plagued with that depleted sense of self-worth, grimacing as I looked over my bleh body in the long-mirror.  What the hell does Daddy see in me anyways?

“I’m not sure about these clothes,” I frowned.

“Lemme see,” Nicky requested, sounding impatient.

I slowly opened up the door, inching out from behind it to show off my new look to my new friend, my face burning bright red as I did so.

“Your chest looks really flaky,” Nicky mused, scrunching up his face as he stared at the dried up cum that Daddy had splooged all over me.  “What kind of lotion are you using?”

“Something all natural,” I winced, wishing that I could just be invisible.

“…No!  You can’t go back there!” I overheard Ronnie’s frantic voice from the other end of the dressing room hall.  “It’s a surprise!  You’ll ruin it!”

I turned to look down the hallway, nearly screaming out in morbid horror as I saw Paul saunter into the dressing room area, shoulders squared and his head held high as he surveyed the area.  Once his dark eyes landed on me, his face stretched out into a bright smile that was all teeth, his posture even straightening up the slightest bit.  I took a tentative step behind the door of my dressing room, feeling incredibly exposed in my “sexy” clothes.

“Hey, Baby,” Daddy grinned over at me, his eyes running up and down my humiliated form.  “What’cha doin’ hiding from Daddy?”

“I’m not hid—”

“He’s shy because he thinks he looks bad in those clothes,” Nicky yawned, twirling his thumbs in boredom.  Some friend he is…

Ronnie came bursting into the area, immediately followed by Patrick who rushed over to the waiting Nicky.  When he was scooped up into the werewolf’s arms, Nicky looked like he was trying to keep a straight face, but I could see a dimple forming in his left cheek as he cuddled closer to his Daddy.

“I missed you so much, my love,” Patrick whispered to him, nuzzling his neck and purring loudly.

“I’ve only been gone for two hours, if that,” Nicky scoffed, but he grinned for a brief second.  Yeah, he loves Patrick; it’s obvious and it’s cute.  It also made me think a little bit, that if Nicky and Patrick were able to overcome such a grand obstacle like amnesia, then perhaps Paul and I could leap over the barriers formed from my fears/mistrust.

Not to sound melodramatic or self-pitying, but I’m kind of broken.  I admit it; thanks to all of the hardships I’ve lived through at the hands of Jonathan or Vincent, love was a terrifying emotion that only seemed to lead to agony— sometimes physically.  Therefore, perhaps it was a defense mechanism that I employed whenever I kept Daddy at arm’s length, wanting to protect myself from getting hurt again.  Poor Paul really has his work cut out for him if he’s going to have me as a mate.

Daddy cocked his eyebrow at me, stepping forward and gently pushing the door out of the way so that he could get a full view of me.  “Baby,” he asked softly, “why are you dressed like that? That’s not your usual taste.”

Oh man, Lola, Justin, and Rhett even entered the fitting room area, all eyes on me as Daddy totally directed the spotlight on me, asking why I was trying to dress all sexy-like.  Darn it!  I am not going to ask Daddy to knot me in front of a large chunk of his pack!  No way!

“Um, wh-what are you guys doing here?” I squeaked.  “This w-was supposed to be a Mates’ Day sort of thing.”

“Yeah!” Ronnie interjected, crossing her arms in front of her as she stared down Justin who looked down at his feet.

The four werewolves had the decency to look away for a moment, each of them blushing a little bit.

“W-well,” Paul stammered, actually sounding frazzled as he attempted to come up with a legitimate excuse, “uh… Justin, yeah Justin ran out of underwear, so we came to buy him some.  Right, Man?”

The Beta flinched and looked at the Alpha with narrowed eyes.  “Yeah,” he spat.  “That’s right.  That, and Paul mentioned that it’d be fun to crash your Mates’ Day plans because he missed you so badly.  Wouldn’t shut up about you the entire drive over here.”

Paul’s face turned beet red at having been exposed and I found it a little cute that the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack was a little embarrassed that he’d been caught red-handed.  It made me crack a small smile, allowing me to momentarily forget the fact that I was severely out of my element in these clothes.

“Enough about that,” Ronnie snorted, waving her hands wildly.  “Alpha, what do think of Darren’s new look? Sexy, right? Darren, spin around.”

There’s no way I’m doing a three-sixty in front of everyone.  I felt myself tense up as Daddy ran his eyes up and down my trembling and uncomfortable form again, his eyes stopping on the flaking cum glued to my exposed chest, making him smirk for a brief second.  He turned to face Ronnie, Lola, and Nicky, crossing his strong arms in front of his beefy chest.

“What are you guys doing to my baby?” he asked in a stern, but playful, voice.  He stepped back towards me, wrapping a heavy arm over my shoulders and yanking me into his body.  “Of course I find him sexy, but I also love the real Darren.  The adorable nerdy one who likes to wear wool sweaters and who stutters sometimes when he speaks.”

D-dang, way to put me on bl-blast.

“Baby, put your regular clothes back on,” Daddy said, patting my back as I walked back into the fitting room, closing the door behind me.  “You don’t have to change a thing in order for me to find you attractive.  You’re beautiful already.”

I nearly swooned once I was safe behind the closed door, away from the eyes of the Pack.  That was really the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me!  I never considered myself to be good looking, so when someone as sexy as Paul said that I’m attractive to them, it sent me over the moon!  My smile grew to proportions unseen and I had a little pep in my step as I changed back into my regular attire— the kind of attire that Daddy finds attractive on me.  I couldn’t stop thinking about that!  

It really made me happy, and not just from the compliment.  But the fact that recently, whenever I was with Daddy, I could feel the old, scared, pathetic Darren slipping away in order to make room for the new Darren who was semi-confident (it would be a long time before I was at one-hundred percent), brave-ish, and kinda ready to love again.  And it was all thanks to Daddy.

I really do care deeply for him, I see that now.  And it’s obvious that he carries a flame for me since he finds me… *gasp! Attractive!

Nothing could bring me down from this high.  My chest fluttered and there wasn’t that splitting headache that I’d grown accustomed to.  Everything seemed brighter and I was so completely at ease, especially with the knowledge that the werewolf was on the other side of the door, waiting for me.  Plus, it warmed my heart that Daddy had decided to crash Mates’ Day because he couldn’t bear the time away from me.  He came all the way to Port Steele Mall just to see me!  Me of all people!

_I told you that Daddy is in love with you_ , the voice mocked, sounding pretty dang smug right now.  _And, I know for a fact that you feel something for him too._

N-no I don’t.  Daddy is a nice man who occasionally saves my life and takes cares of me.  And sometimes during those rare/frequent occasions, I may sort of feel better about myself or life in general…

Okay, so I like Daddy.  Big whoop.

_It is a big whoop_ , the voice said.  _Now just say, ‘Daddy, please knot my tight hole.’_

“‘Daddy, please knot my tight hole’?” I repeated aloud out of sheer shock.  Why on earth would I say something so crass? That would make me sound like some horny little teenager who was only preoccupied with finding certain shaped items to sit on.  But I am a refined and intelligent young man with principles—

The fitting room door exploded off of its hinges, making me yelp in surprise, clad only in my sweater and boxer briefs since I was still getting dressed.  Daddy, growling loudly with pleasure, swung me over his shoulder in one fluid movement, storming down the hallway and out towards the rest of the mall.  Frickin’ Ronnie and Lola whooped as I was carried out, even going so far as to loudly clap their hands.

“Alpha!” Justin called out as he followed behind us.  “Where are you going? We all rode in the same car!”

“Squeeze into Ronnie’s car!” Daddy barked back at him aggressively, making the Beta step back.  “I gotta fulfill my Baby’s needs!  You heard him!”

The other mall patrons went wide-eyed and stood to the side at the sight of the Alpha werewolf carrying half-dressed me like a sack of potatoes slung over his buff shoulder.  None of them said anything, and even a couple of them gave me a knowing smirk, totally figuring out what was planned ahead for me.

“Once we get home,” Daddy growled lowly, “Daddy’s gonna stuff that tight hole with his huge knot, and he’s gonna fill you up with his juices.  And then you’ll officially be all mine.”

Well, I was finally going to get knotted by Daddy.  Okay…


	24. [Extra] Lights Down Low

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is an extra told from the point of view of Nicky, detailing some of his and Patrick’s relationship as they deal with his amnesia. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (｡・‧̫・｡).*＊♡

**[Photo of Nicky]**

****“Lights Down Low” - MAX

_Heaven only knows where you’ve been / But I don’t really need to know / I know where you’re gonna go / On my heart / Where you’re resting your head_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**  
****

**[Nicky, One Month Ago]**  
****

“…wake up, Baby.  Please…”

There was a dull beeping noise to my right.  It just beeped, beeped, beeped; no change in sound or speed.  Behind it was some kind of muffled sound that was deep and sort of soothing in a weird way.  What was it? I could feel myself lying on my back, on some sort of bed that was a little firm.  The air, wherever I was, was chilled, the thin cloth covering me was doing nothing at all.  It seemed even my clothes where made up of thin material; the cold air penetrated them, assaulting my body.

Where was I?

My eyelids were sealed shut, refusing to open.  As if weights were attached to them, the act of opening my eyes proved to be strenuous.  The beeping continued, speeding up some.  That muffled noise became more insistent, even taking on a pleading note as it grew higher and much more desperate.  What was it?  I struggled to open up my eyes even harder, straining my facial muscles as the noises came more and more frequently.

“…come back to me…”

I scrunched up my forehead.  _Open your eyes, open your eyes.  Open your fucking eyes!_ My mental commands failed, leaving me blind to whatever was next to me.  I could feel my breathing hitch, becoming faster and wheezier.  My chest moved up and down at a rapid pace, mirroring my heavy panting.  The robotic beeping beside my bed grew louder, its octave rising until it was screaming in my ear.

“…please, Baby, I need you…”

I tried to move my hands so that I could physically pry my eyes open, but they remained stuck at my sides.  Even my legs wouldn’t budge, leaving me completely paralyzed at the mercy of whatever/whoever was near me.

“…if you can hear me, can you please just give me a sign?” the voice pleaded, getting clearer and clearer by the second.  It was deep and had such bass to it that its power even rumbled the small bed that I was on, shaking my shivering body.  The hairs on my arm stood up as I felt something warm and smooth drag across my face, a deep inhaling sound ringing out.  This breath hiked, sounding shocked. 

I could feel my eyes running back and forth behind my eyelids, fighting to see through the thick red color.  

The other person must’ve seen me doing this for they yelled out, “He’s conscious!”

Several new noises alerted me to the fact that other people were rushing into wherever I was.  The initial voice, the soothing one that I longed to see the owner of, sounded further away as if they were getting pushed into the background.  I felt my arms and legs being poked at by sticky hands that felt rough to the touch.  My skin scraped along their tough exterior, sometimes being pulled along here and there.

“Sir, can you hear me?” came a lighter voice.

“Wh— uh?” I struggled to ask where I was, but my throat muscles felt so tired.  My head still throbbed, the beating becoming all the more intense.  My bed began to fold in on itself, starting with the top part where my torso was.  I could feel myself being forced to sit upright as it moved, accompanied by a low whine.  Finally, my eyelids began to flutter, slowly opening themselves.  My eyes were assaulted by a blinding white light, with odd figures surrounded by it.  Little by little, the light grew dimmer and the figures transformed into recognizable shapes belonging to people.  The tallest one, a man, had on a white robe that was open down the middle.  The woman next to my bed had a wrinkly face, but she was wearing an odd colored shirt, consisting of patterns

They quickly faded from my mind as my attention honed in on a tall man standing in the back of the room.

The man was super tall, even taller than the other people in the room.  His eyebrows were really bushy and had the same color as the hair on top of his head, which was short enough to be tamed, but shaggy enough to lightly touch the tips of his ears.  The man had a dark beard that dominated his lower face.  He had light blue eyes that glared down at me, almost looking worried as the whites were tinged with pink and seemed a bit watery.  The unknown man’s mouth was pursed into a thin line… his canine teeth poking out and hanging over his bottom lip, giving off a creepy aura.  The man wore a black shirt, but the sleeves were gone, allowing me to see the entirety of his built arms that were thick with power.  His chest seemed wide as well, his collarbone and part of the muscles beneath it were visible at the top of his shirt.  His waist was the only small thing about the man, it being thin and contrasting with his wide torso and big feet that were shoved into ratted tennis shoes that were missing laces.  I was really surprised by the amount of hair this man had on his body.  Besides his main head hair, there was a large number on his face.  His arms and chest had a dense forest of brown covering them, the muscled curves looking fuzzy.

The man stuck out like a sore thumb, awkwardly standing behind the multiple people who poked and prodded at me.  Throughout the whole ordeal, our eyes never left one another, me trying to place who he was and him studying every inch of me.  I swear, the dude wanted to say something to me since his mouth twitched every couple of seconds, but he remained silent.

“Just calm down, Sir,” the woman at my side said, putting her hand on my shoulder.  “You’ve been out for a while and your body needs some time to adjust.”

I turned my head to face her dead-on, briefly ignoring the staring man in the back.

“Can you tell us your name, Hon?” the woman asked, using a calm and soothing voice; as she spoke, she glanced at a clipboard, scanning something with her pale eyes.

My name? What was my name?

I searched my brain for the answer to the nice woman’s question.  She seemed to be really kind to me in my predicament, so it was only fit that I answer her question.  All I have to do is tell her my name and that’s it.  Now, if only I could remember it.  I looked back in my head, hoping to locate it somewhere in the crevices of my brain, but finding no luck.  I scrunched up my forehead in confusion as I struggled to think up my name.  This shouldn’t be this hard, I know that.  But why can’t I remember? Let’s see, I know it starts with a K…or is it an M? My name, my name, what is it?

The woman looked at me with sympathy on her features.  The man by her side glanced over at her, a knowing look on his withered face.  Meanwhile, the guy in the background gasped, the blood draining from his face and his broad shoulders drooping. 

“Sir,” the woman pressed, “can you tell me who the president is?”

The what? I had no idea what she was trying to get me to tell her.  The president… nope, it doesn’t ring a bell.  There wasn’t even a dull buzz in the back of my head, telling me that the information was just hidden.  I don’t think it even existed at all in my brain.

I shook my head, indicating that I didn’t have the answer.

“Which state do you live in?” she asked.

I shook my head again.

“How old are you?”

Nope.

“What color is your house?”

Nope.

“Is there anything you remember at all that you can tell us?” the man beside the woman interjected.  I now managed to see that the bed was small, only able to fit me on it.  The sheets were plain white, contrasting with the light blue cloth draped on top of my body.  In fact, the whole room I was in was white.  The floor was made of up shiny white material that reflected the bright lights on the ceiling.  The beeping sound came from some sort of machine with a green zigzag line on it, moving up and down, always beeping.

For the millionth time, I shook my head.  “No,” I coughed, frowning when it dawned on me that I knew absolutely nothing about myself.  I don’t know my name, age, where I live, who my family is… I have no clue.  The panic caused my breathing to speed up which in turn made the machine next to me beep even louder, making the man near my bed look at all of the unknown numbers on the screen.

“Well,” he muttered, “we’re going to have to run some tests, but it appears as if the patient has retrograde amnesia.  It’s common for people who’ve been in a coma to have some memory loss upon waking up, so we’ll have to monitor him for a couple of days to make sure.”

The guy who was standing in the background perked up, a pinkish hue forming on his cheeks.  “Y-you mean,” he pressed in a shaky voice, “h-he doesn’t remember a thing? Like, at all?”

The other man huffed, scribbling something down on a separate clipboard.  “Not exactly,” he explained.  “He’s been in a coma for the past two weeks, so it’s more than likely that this is just a temporary side effect.  We won’t know for sure until some time has passed.  But in the meantime, try to talk to him to see if you can spark something.”

“Um, I’m not quite sure…”

“It would really help get things moving along,” the man urged, standing away from the bed and motioning at me with a stern hand.  “In the meantime, I have to order a CT scan for him now that he’s conscious.”  The man and woman left the room, leaving me alone with the unknown guy who nervously twirled his fingers in front of his massive body.

For a long time, neither of us spoke, refusing to move an inch.  Our eyes locked and the man sighed, running an anxious hand through his thick hair.  “Um, Baby?” he croaked in a scratchy voice.  “D-do you remember me at all?” He gave a nervous chuckle at the end of his question, his crazy sharp teeth all the more visible, making me wince.

The man… seemed like he should be familiar.  Whenever I looked at him, there was something about those dark eyes that drew me inwards, telling me that there was some very important information that I should be aware of.  However, that information was locked up in a vault, and I couldn’t recall the combination at all.

“N-no,” I admitted, feeling my face get flushed with the embarrassing admittance that I had no clue what was going on in my life or who was involved.  “I c-can’t remember anything.”

“I’m Patrick.  I’m your husband.”  The man rushed over to me, covering the distance in milliseconds, and had me wrapped in his arms and pressed tightly to his chest.  The musky smell of his body permeated my nostrils until it took up my senses, making Patrick surround me both physically and mentally.  His embrace was hard, his arms digging into my back.  Yet, his body felt soft; his chest bringing me comfort and warmth.  “I missed you so much.  I was so scared.”  I felt his chest vibrate at his words and then shake a little bit.  In fact, his whole body was shaking, little whimpers escaping from his mouth.  I felt a little drop of water hit the top of my head, and then it registered that he was crying.  I made Patrick cry.  I uneasily began to shift my feet as Patrick continued to cry on me.

I had a husband.  Surely I wouldn’t have forgotten something as vital as having a husband, but Patrick didn’t ring a bell at all.

**/(@ﾟﾍﾟ@)**

My memory didn’t come back.  The doctors at the hospital ran all sorts of tests on me and performed numerous brain scans, but they couldn’t find an exact reason as to why I had amnesia.  Eventually they decided that it would be best to just discharge me so that my, um, husband (I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’m married) could help me get my memory back.  The doctor had stressed over and over that by performing my daily tasks, I could potentially spark something in the recesses of my mind.  
****

“Do you recognize anything, Baby?” Patrick asked as he drove us to our apartment.  He drove a small car that had the front left side, the passenger side, dented a great deal.  The headlight had been busted out with clear tape being used as a temporary fix.  I’d been informed that I’d been in a car accident, so the fact that I was obviously riding in the car that had sent me to the hospital in the first place was very unnerving.  I made sure that my seatbelt was on tight and that I kept a firm grip on the handle above my door, squeezing it so tight that my knuckles had turned bone white.

We’d just left the hospital, driving on some dark road that was surrounded by giant green trees that swayed in the heavy rain and wind.  Nothing at all seemed familiar to me, and I scrunched up my face again at being referred to as ‘Baby’.  That was something else that didn’t register with me:  Patrick had mentioned that we had pet names for one another.  He called me “Baby”, and apparently I’d always called him “Daddy”.  Why? Evidently, my name was Nicholas Fischer, but I’d preferred to go by Nicky and I’d taken Patrick’s last name when we’d gotten married.

“No,” I frowned, shaking my head.

Patrick rested his giant arm over my small shoulders.  “Hey, don’t beat yourself up, Baby,” he cooed.  “You’ll remember.  Trust me, Daddy’s gonna do everything in his power to help you.”  My initial reaction was to cringe at him calling himself Daddy and at having his sweaty arm on me, but my subconscious told me to relax.  Therefore, I found myself leaning into the older man, even resting my head on his torso as he drove us down the empty road.  I noticed that as soon as I leaned on him, the man’s body perked up and I saw in the rearview mirror that his smile grew larger.

Yes, Patrick was a nice and caring guy.  Through every single test and every single IV that I’d received in the hospital, he’d stood protectively by my side… he’d even growled like a dog when one of the nurses messed up my IV tube, making my blood squirt out of my arm like a water fountain.  He’d cut up my chicken for me in the hospital, even feeding it to me when my weak muscles grew easily tired with simple movements.  Shoot, the man even gave me my sponge baths when my legs were too weak to carry me to the bathroom.  Patrick completely doted on me, but… I don’t know.  I can’t remember a single thing about him, yet whenever we’re in the same room, some sort of alarm sounds out in my head.  Is that normal?

Maybe following the doctor’s orders will help me regain my memory, especially about my life with Patrick.  “Um,” I wondered, “can you tell me how we met?”

I felt Patrick’s body perk up again, and he puffed out his chest with pride.  “Yeah,” he chuckled, his face turning bright red as he spoke, “I, uh, we actually met when you rear-ended my car.  You, uh, you never were a good driver, sorry.”  That love-drunk smile stretched the confines of the man’s face even further as he reminisced.  “The day you turned eighteen, I asked you to marry me and you agreed.  The next week, because we couldn’t wait, we rushed over to the court house with some of our friends and got married right there.  It was happiest day of my life.  I’ll have to show you the pictures when we get home.”

That did sound kind of cute.  “Did my parents come?” I asked.  “And did you tell them that I’m fine now?” I looked rather young, so I assumed that they were still pretty prominently involved in my life.  When we’d been filling out the discharge paperwork, Patrick had scribbled down that I was still eighteen, so that must’ve meant that I’d been living with them not too long ago, right?

Patrick shook his head, biting down on his lower lip.  “No, um, you grew up in the foster system,” he admitted.

So, I wasn’t close to my parents or I didn’t even know them.  And I was married to Patrick.  All of this information proved useless for my amnesia, recalling absolutely zero memories whatsoever.

I was silent for the rest of the drive, staring out the window at my hometown that I didn’t recognize.  Finally Patrick pulled up in front of a small looking apartment complex that had the paint chipping and had several potholes in the parking lot.  If this is where we live, then I’m happy that I lost my memory— shoot, I’d probably blacked that out on purpose.  But it was my home apparently, although I felt in the pit of my stomach that any rational person would not live here on their own free will.  There had to be some kind of cloaking device in use or something.  

“Here we are,” Patrick beamed as he parked near the back end of the lot, in the spot furthest away from the complex.  He dashed out of the car and sprinted over to my side in a blur, opening my door for me and scooping me up into his strong arms.

Although there was no one around in the rainy weather, my face burned bright red as I was carried like a newlywed bride in the unknown man’s arms… well, he technically wasn’t an unknown man.  He was my husband, but I just don’t remember him.  “Um, I think my legs are fine,” I muttered, squirming the smallest bit.

A deep frown set in on Patrick’s face, although it was barely visible through his thick beard.  “But you love it when I carry you,” he protested.  “And the doctor said that the best way for you to get your memory back is for us to do everything the way we always do.”

I suppose it was hard to argue with doctor’s orders.  Besides, if I’d fallen in love with Patrick enough to marry him, then I’m sure he’s not half-bad.  “O-okay,” I sighed, trying to relax into the older man’s hold.  He sure was strong though, walking up the steps to the second level without straining at all.  Plus, his bulging muscles were pretty sexy and comfy… yeah, I could try to make this work.

“Welcome home, Baby!” Patrick gushed as he unlocked the door, kicking it open with his large foot.

The inside of our apartment was almost as depressing as the outside.  The hardwood floor was dusty and had never seen a broom once in its miserable life.  The walls were cracked and there were stray nails still in it from when pictures used to hang on it.  Plus, there were multiple cardboard boxes in various places in the apartment, looking as if we haven’t been living here very long.

Patrick noticed my confused gaze and cleared his throat after he closed and locked the door.  “We just joined the pack recently, Baby,” he said, not helping my confusion at all.  What was a ‘Pack’? “And I’ve been at the hospital with you all day, everyday.  So I never quite got around to unpacking, sorry.”  As he set me down, I noticed that his broad shoulders fell with shame and he even hung his head the slightest bit, sending a pang of guilt throughout me.

“Um, you said you’d show me our, *ahem, wedding pictures?” I reminded him, hoping that would bring about a brighter mood to the crap-shack.

It worked.  Patrick perked back up, a wide smile taking over his face.  “Yeah!” he cheered, rushing off toward one of the boxes in the entryway.  “Lemme grab the album real quick.”  He shuffled through the contents of the box for a little bit before yanking out a white photo album that had a golden embroidery of a rose on the cover.  He hurried back over to me, swallowing my tiny hand in his larger one, and leading me over to the tattered leather couch that was pushed up against the far wall.

Patrick plopped himself down on one of the cushions, his strong grasp yanking me down onto his hard lap.  His bulky arms slinked around my torso that went rigid as soon as it dawned on me that I was sitting on this stranger’s lap like it was completely normal.

“Um?” I wondered, having no clue what to say.

Patrick, completely oblivious to my discomfort, began to flip through the album as he held out in front of us to gawk at.  “Now, the pictures aren’t expert quality,” he admitted, disappointment audible in his deep voice, “because we were working with a serious budget, so one of your friends from school used her, *sigh, cell phone.”

I saw what he was referring to.  The pictures were of low quality and the images were a little fuzzy, looking as if they’d been printed on just regular paper instead of glossy paper.  However, the happiness illustrated on our faces was remarkable.  There I was, dressed up in a white tuxedo, grinning ear to ear as I stood next to Patrick who donned a form-fitting black tux.  He looked so handsome with his hair neatly combed and his beard trimmed and under control.  Meanwhile, I had a large red zit on my cheek and in one of the pictures where we were eating some of our wedding cake, I had a huge glop of icing on my nose.  But in each and every single picture in the album, Patrick had his eyes glued to me and he wore the largest smile that I’m sure I’d ever seen.  Shoot, I didn’t need my memory to know that his smile was one of the most triumphant and gleeful in the world.  He looked utterly smitten with me, and I looked like I was pretty happy too.

“Do these spark anything?” Patrick whispered, leaning down close to my ear, his hot breath wafting over my face as he spoke.

I shuddered and unconsciously leaned into him, eliciting a rumbling noise from the man as his grip on me tightened… and something began to poke my ass.  “N-no,” I admitted, legitimately bummed out that I was missing out on what was supposed to have been the happiest day of my life.  

This amnesia bullshit sucks!

The taller man huffed and rubbed his bearded face up along the side of my smooth one.  “Hey,” he cooed in a soft voice, “don’t beat yourself up, Baby.  It’ll come along naturally.  All we have to do is repeat our daily routine and then it might just burst back, ‘kay?”

I quietly nodded, biting on my lower lip in frustrated silence.  I felt so lost and confused as to everything that was going on.  Seriously, the one man whom I was supposed to trust and rely on with all of my heart was reduced to an unknown stranger in my brain simply because I was apparently a bad driver.  Perhaps Patrick and the doctor were right in believing that performing my usual behaviors would help me gain back my memory.  

“Don’t you worry about a thing, Baby,” Patrick smiled at me, his large teeth still making me a tad uncomfortable, “Daddy’s gonna take good care of you.”

**( ᵒ̴̶̷᷄ д ᵒ̴̶̷᷅ )**

The day had progressed rather disappointingly.  

A part of me felt really bad because I could tell that Patrick was trying with all of his might to help get my memory going again.  The man waited on me hand and foot, behaving as if I were too fragile to perform the simplest of actions.  Seriously, he’d even insisted on escorting me to the bathroom.  Later on, he made me what he called my favorite meal for dinner: fish sticks from a box in the freezer.  He even told me more stories about our lives together, weaving fantastic tales about how how happy we were before the car accident.  It really sucked because whenever he spoke about us, I could see some glimmer forming in his eyes, which made me feel a little resentful of my situation.  

To be quite frank: I was pissed.

I was pissed off that the memories of my lover and my wedding day were lost all because of a car crash.  Where’s the justice in that? Well, I suppose it could’ve been worse.  I didn’t die at least…

We were resting in bed, me watching TV while Patrick snored beside me.  I used a spare pillow to prop myself up as I stared at the glowing screen across the room, not really paying attention to what was playing.  Meanwhile, Patrick slept on his back, his bare chest heaving as he dreamed.  The entire time he slept, he kept one arm across the bed, wanting constant physical contact with me.  Patrick had earlier insisted on me using his chest as a pillow, but I wasn’t really down for that, opting to force myself to stay awake so that I could watch TV.  Plus, I’d just woken up from a two-week coma recently and the thought of falling back to sleep put me on edge.

I still couldn’t remember anything, and that really bothered me.  The man sleeping at my side was a complete stranger to me, and although he was sweet and handsome, I couldn’t say that I felt anything for him. 

The TV show’s character shot off a gun, making a lot of noise as sequential gunfire sounded out.  Patrick’s snoring stopped and he jerked upright, looking around the room, a dazed look on his sleepy face.  “Baby?” he yawned, squeezing my shoulder gently.  “What are you still doing up?” He grabbed his phone off the nightstand that was by his side of the bed, checking the time.  “It’s already two fifteen.”

“I can’t sleep,” I muttered, although I’m sure he could tell by the slowness in my voice that I was extremely tired.  It was just that my brain wouldn’t shut up long enough for me to actually fall asleep.

Patrick sighed and rubbed at his face for a little bit.  “You still can’t remember anything, huh?” he muttered, eying me with concerned eyes.  “Don’t beat yourself up, Baby.  You will in time.”

“And if I don’t?” I asked, my voice cracking a little bit from the rush of fear I felt at the notion of having my entire life erased permanently.

The man tossed the covers off of him, exposing his nude body to me.  He crawled over and yanked me into an all-consuming hug.  “Hey, Baby,” he cooed, “if you can’t, then it’s not the end of the world.  Daddy’s not going anywhere, and if I have to make you fall in love with me all over again, then so be it.  ‘Cause for you, I’ll do anything.”

I just nodded, not really having any idea what to say.  Plus, there he went calling himself “Daddy” all over again.  Was I really into that before?

Patrick’s shoulders slumped and he bit down on his lower lip in thought for a moment.  “Well,” he muttered, “th-there is one thing I can do, and it might jumpstart a memory.”  He let go of me and stood off of the bed, walking over to the wall where the light switch was.  The lights flickered on and I saw more clearly the nervous-looking man standing by the bedroom door.

“What?” I questioned, my voice low and hoarse from trying to get my emotions under wrap.  Everything seemed to be weighing down on me all at once.  I was mad at my memory loss.  I was weirded out by the fact that I was married.  I was still in minor physical pain from the car accident whenever I turned my head too quickly.  Everything was closing down on me, and all I really wanted to do was to get my memory back so that things could go back to normal and I wouldn’t be so… scared.

My husband ran a shaky hand through his thick hair, shaking his head.  “Can’t believe I’m gonna do this now, but…” he coughed, looking up at me with worried eyes.  “You, uh, you were kinda freaked out when I showed you the first time, but you didn’t really care too much once it settled in.  So I’m prayin’ that the same thing happens now.  But, Baby, just know that Daddy loves you and will never hurt you, okay?”

“…what is it?” I asked, my own body beginning to tremble with nerves.

Patrick chuckled to himself, averting his gaze momentarily.  “Um, my love, d-do you remember what a werewolf is?” he asked.

Ya know, it’s weird.  I can remember _An American Werewolf in London_ and be able to say with absolute certainty that it’s a badass movie… but I can’t remember my own husband.  Damn, talk about priorities.  Anyway, yes, I do know what a werewolf is for some obscure reason.

I nodded.

“G-good,” Patrick stammered, his face turning a bright red as he shifted his weight awkwardly from side to side.  “That makes things a whole lot easier when I tell you this.  That I am… well, um, actually I suppose it’d be better if I remind you real quick that as your husband and your Daddy, I will always put your safety and happiness as my top priorities.  That being said… um, Nicky, I am a werewolf.”  And he’s crazy too.

“Dude, I know that I may not have my memory, but even I know that you’re not a werewolf,” I snorted, rolling my eyes at this tired joke.  I suppose I should give the man some points for trying to cheer me up with some light-hearted comedy though.  Maybe being with Patrick won’t be so bad…

“I can show ya,” he offered, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously, the motion making his large bicep flex.  “But before I do, just remember that Daddy will never hurt you, ‘kay?”

“All of these reassurances are doing nothing for my anxiety— HOLY SHIT!”

No lie, Patrick’s entire body shook with such a high intensity that he appeared blurry before my very own eyes.  Then his body began to twist and contort, bones elongating as even more fur seemed to burst out from his already hairy body.  Claws fucking erupted out of his hands and his teeth grew much larger and sharper, even glistening in the faint light form the staticky TV in the bedroom.  And scariest of all: his eyes turned from that beautiful pale blue into a demonic red that sent a tsunami of horror washing over my trembling body.

I was stunned silent, my bottom lip trembling as I clasped tightly onto the bedroom blanket for false security.  Shit, this tiny piece of fabric couldn’t save me from the frickin’ monster that stood in my bedroom!  I’m dead, I’m dead, I am so fucking dead right now!

The monster that was Patrick took one tentative step forward, his ears flattening against his gray head.  His massive tail went between his hind legs and he gave me a lupine smile full of dagger-like teeth that were perfectly made to just rip into my flesh.

Okay, so go figure.  I wake up out of a coma only to have zero memories of my past at all.  I’m told that I’m married to a man who has a Daddy!Kink that I’m not entirely sure I share, oh.  But that’s not it.  No, of course not.  My husband is also a werewolf… how wonderful…  Hmm.

I leapt off of the bed, bounding over towards the werewolf whose red eyes widened with shock.  Using the bounciness of the cheap mattress we owned, I managed to jump clear over the wolf (for real, no lying) and landed on the floor directly behind him and in front of the bedroom door.  Allowing my body to go into autopilot mode, I kicked open the bedroom door, sprinting out into the living room where my eyes honed in on the front door where I could make my escape.  I may not have my memory, but even I know that living with a werewolf was not the safest life to have!  I was not about to be turned into some steak dinner!

“Wait!  Baby!” Patrick cried out from behind me, shifting back into his naked human form.

I refused to look behind me, focusing all of my attention onto the front door ahead.  I had to make it outside.  If I did, then I could scream out for help and then… I don’t know, but at least I won’t be eaten alive.

Heavy footsteps thundered out from behind me and I could hear Patrick’s breathing growing louder as he drew dangerously closer to me.  “Baby!  Please!” he begged.

The door was just within reach now.  I slammed myself against it, undoing the bolt and turning the doorknob so that I could escape to safety—

Patrick wrapped both of his strong arms around me, pulling me tightly into his chest, refusing to let me go.  “Please don’t go, Baby!” he begged, his voice high and desperate.  “I just got you back, you can’t leave!”

“No!” I screamed, wildly flailing my limbs about as I tried to break free from the scary monster’s embrace, but he much stronger than me.  “Let me go!”

Patrick tightened his grip on me, reaching out to do the bolt again.  I could feel him shake his head, his beard scratching the side of my face as he did so.  “No Baby,” he whimpered, “I can’t do that.  You didn’t let me explain that you’re my mate, which is the most important thing in a werewolf’s entire existence.”  He took in a deep, shaky breath.  “Th-there are lots of things that a wolf will do in order to secure their mate by their side.  I-I can’t, damn it, I can’t let you go.  Just stay here with me, please Baby.”

No!  This can’t happen to me!  I cannot be married to a man-eater!  I’ll die without a doubt, and I literally just got out of a coma!  Why is life so cruel?!  My fear was building up in my tiny body so much that I was reduced to a quivering husk, my entire body going numb with fright as the werewolf dragged me back into the dark bedroom.

“Just give Daddy some time, my love,” Patrick cooed as he shut the bedroom door behind us.  “Just please give me some time to make you fall back in love with me.  I promise it’ll all be worth it in the end.”

I really don’t think I can last living a life in which I’m tied to a werewolf, both legally and from his obscure “Mating” B.S.  My heart was racing so fast in my chest and I could even feel Patrick’s heart beating against my back as he refused to relinquish his hold on me, keeping me trapped to him.  He had said that I’d taken it alright last time he’d revealed his werewolf status to me in the past, however… how the hell did that happen?!  I was so terrified!  The man had long claws that could gut me like nobody’s business.  His monster-sized teeth were perfect for grinding up my bones.  Plus, his evil red eyes were something straight out of a horror movie, looking as if he could kill with just one glare.

“I love you, Baby,” Patrick whispered into my ear as he set me down onto the bed.  “I promise that I’ll make you happy with me.  Just wait and see, my love.  Daddy will give his Baby all the love and affection that his little heart can handle, and then some.”  He rubbed his face up and down along mine, making me go stiff in terror.  “Because for you, I’ll do anything.”

**!!(ﾉ*ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ**

It was a new day, a new day with no memory of my past life.  That involved no memory of my husband…who evidently is a werewolf.  I… I don’t think that’s safe.

After hours of trying to calm me down, Patrick opted to sleep on the couch, allowing me to be all by myself in the bedroom.  I wasn't oblivious to the canine-like whimpering on the other side of the door, an eerie noise that kept me up all night.  Eventually the sun rose and I still hadn’t gotten any sleep at all.  My eyes stung whenever I blinked, my head craving a simple rest in order to recharge my mind.  However, I was so uneasy about letting my guard down with a monster under the same roof as me.

I’d tried running away last night, but obviously Patrick was both faster and stronger than me, meaning that I was sort of stuck in this situation.  It really made me feel helpless, almost as much as the stupid amnesia did.  Wow, I really had an act for being useless.  *Sigh.

I trudged out of the bedroom, figuring that I could grab some sort of sleep aid from the bathroom cabinet.  As I made my way towards the bathroom door, I noticed something sitting on the dining room table.  Huh?

On the small table was a glass vase stuffed full of small, yellow sunflowers.  The petals were a bright, pastel color while the middle brown centers were all fuzzy-looking.  To be honest, they were quite beautiful and I momentarily forgot all of the trepidation that I felt as I walked up to sniff at their floral aroma that was reminiscent of honey and fresh grass.

“Sunflowers are your favorite,” Patrick’s deep voice rang out from the sofa, making me jump in surprise.  He stretched his buff arms over his head, unleashing a loud yawn.  “Took me hours to find a store that carried them since they don’t grow well here where there’s pretty much fog all day long.  But it’s worth it, because for you, I’ll do anything.”  He winked at me, making me blush.

“…oh,” was all that I could say, feeling some sort of fluttery sensation inside my chest.  Weird.  Shrugging the odd occurrence away, I decided that it would be smarter to just turn on the TV and fall asleep listening to some boring-ass program.  After taking one last look at the gorgeous flowers that Patrick had purchased for me, I locked myself back inside the bedroom for the rest of the day.

**ᕙ (✿⊙へ ⊙〃)**

Patrick thought that it’d be beneficial for me to talk to some other humans who were in relationships with werewolves.  According to him, we were all in the same boat and could thus help one another out.  That really just translated into him trying to get some people to brainwash me into believing that being married to a man-eater wasn’t as horrible as it appeared written on paper.  For the past couple of days, I’d avoided Patrick like he was leper, wanting nothing to do with the werewolf.  Although the sunflowers had been a sweet gesture, I was still nervous to be around a creature with razor-sharp fangs and claws that could shred up my flawless skin!  I could sense that Patrick was beginning to grow a bit impatient, especially since he took the lock off of the bedroom door, insisting that we share a bed like we used to in the past.  Whatever.

“…but yeah, my Daddy then bought me this nice coat because I was always stealing his jacket,” this really talkative girl, Ronnie, droned on and on.  “But little does he know, that I still have every intention of using his because it’s so comfy and smells a lot like his aftershave.”  Man, she never shut up.  The most awkward part was that she referred to her mate, Justin, as ‘Daddy’ as well, making me believe that he and Patrick were cohorts or something in some kind of perverted club.

“Oh yeah, how about that…” I muttered for the twenty-seventh time, feigning interest in her story.  As suspected, a majority of her stories consisted of how awesome it was to be with a werewolf.  Brainwashing confirmed.

We were sitting on a fallen log on some secluded path in the woods surrounding the town.  Patrick and Justin had been asked to patrol the area by the Alpha, and they’d decided to bring me and Ronnie along because they have severe separation anxiety.  I was bored out of my mind!  Why couldn’t I have just stayed back at the apartment and watched TV? What’s the harm in that?

“Woof!” barked one of the werewolves who were trotting around in their dog bodies.

Ronnie and I looked up from staring at our shoes in time to see Wolf-Patrick happily skipping towards us, something dangling in his giant canine muzzle.  What was that?

“Aww!” Ronnie squealed, even clasping her hands together.  “That’s so cute!  Your Daddy got you a present!”

Was it a TV? 

I squinted my eyes, trying to obtain a better glimpse of whatever Patrick had in his mouth.  However, my eyes nearly bugged out of my skull in sheer disgust as soon as the wolf spit out a dead, bloodied rabbit at my feet.

“Woof!” he cheered, his tail wagging one hundred miles an hour as he sat up straight, his ears sticking up proudly.

What in the world…? “Uh, thanks?” I mumbled, eying the dead animal that was most likely ridden with rabies and parasites.  

Patrick barked like he was celebrating something before he turned around and sprinted back into the forest, his tail still wagging like crazy.  Who the hell gives a dead bunny to someone as a present? Why the hell would Ronnie think this was cute? She’s a weirdo, without a doubt.

“Isn’t that just the cutest thing?” Ronnie went on, totally oblivious to the way my stomach churned at the sight of the mauled animal.  “It looks like your Daddy’s wolf is trying to court you as well, showing that he can provide for you.  Wow, Patrick must really love you.”

…I guess so. 

**￣(=๏ x ๏=)￣**

Weeks passed and still, I was weary of Patrick.

I couldn’t help it!  Whenever he phased into his wolf form, all I could see were those red eyes that glowed in the dark, always transfixed on me.  The rest of the werewolves in the pack we were involved in had yellow eyes, and when I’d asked Patrick why his were different, he’d just shrugged it off.  “Don’t worry about it, Baby,” he’d said, pulling me down onto his lap.  That’s another thing, he treats me like I’m some kind of fragile child who’s made completely out of glass and paper.  The man insists that I call him “Daddy” whenever I refer to him, and he keeps calling me “Baby”, as if there’s some kind of disgusting parental component to our marriage.  He’s never more than five feet away from me and whenever we sit down, I’m always planted on his lap.  whenever we lie down, he expects me to use his chest as a pillow.

Shit, if the werewolf thing wasn’t bad enough, my husband’s also extremely possessive.

Patrick never lets me out of his sight and when we leave the apartment, he makes me constantly hold his hand.  His excuses are that it’s what we used to do and the muscle memory should help to bring back my mental memory.  That, or he says that as my Daddy, it’s his duty to protect me… and he likes guys outside to see that I’m taken.

Patrick still tried to woo me though.  He would bring me breakfast in bed, whisper sweet nothings into my ear every couple of minutes, tell me that he loves me everyday, and offer me foot rubs whenever I got tired.  He even thought that it’d be a great idea to take me out on some lame date in which the Alpha of the pack was trying to court his own son.  Seriously, I could immediately tell because the two of them had the same ear lobe sizes and same eyebrows.  Either that Darren kid is super kinky or so painfully dense, but whatever.  Anyways, I’d tried to warn the guy to run fast during his Mating Run so that he wouldn’t be tied to a werewolf for the rest of his perverted life.

“D-did we have a Mating Run?” I asked Patrick as we waited in the woods during the Run.  The Alpha had asked us to stay near the main road in case Darren had tried to flee that way.  Wasn’t that technically cheating?

Patrick, naked from having phased into his wolf form earlier, nodded.  “I caught you in two minutes flat,” he smiled, looking up at the stars in the night sky as he reminisced.  “And then I took you to my place where I tore your ass up.  You couldn’t walk the entire next day, but you liked it when I carried you back then.”  He sighed and his shoulders fell again as a small whimper escaped from his bearded mouth.

I knew that he was sad that I wasn’t succumbing to his Monster Mash charms, but how could I? He was a man-eating monster who had razor-sharp teeth!  Anyone in their rightful state of mind would be terrified to have to lie next to a werewolf at night.  But at the end of the day, I really had no where else to go.

Although, what he’d said brought another point back into my head that kind of boosted him in my eyes the smallest bit.  Despite being so adamant that he was going to do everything in his power to make me fall back in love with him, Patrick never forced himself on me sexually.  Of course he’d hint that he wanted to do me every now and them— shit, sometimes he’d just straight up walk into the room like, “Hey Baby, wanna ride Daddy?” And when I’d of course refuse, he wouldn’t get all mad or huffy; instead he’d purse his lips and excuse himself to take a thirty-minute shower.

I began to shiver a bit in the cold night air, the sounds of wolves howling ringing out around us from the forest.  I wrapped my tiny arms around my body in a sad attempt to stay warm, but it totally failed.

“Ya cold?” Patrick asked, wrapping his giant arm around my slender shoulders.  “Why don't you let Daddy hold you then, Baby?”

“I’m f-fine,” I stuttered, my teeth beginning to chatter loudly as the cold wind picked up around us.

Patrick growled a little bit and snatched me off the ground, cradling me up to his buff chest.  He stared me down in the dark, his eyes flashing red for a brief second.  “Ya know what?” he growled, tightening his arms as he held me.  “Daddy’s gettin’ really impatient.  But even so, Daddy loves you with all of his heart, even if you… aren’t too fond of me right now.  So he’s not gonna let you be cold because you don’t remember how much he loves you.”  He sniffled a little bit and looked away from me, turning his attention back up to the stars.

Dammit, like when we’d been reintroduced, that stabbing feeling of guilt bubbled up inside of me again.  Was… was I actually feeling a little bad for Patrick? No that can’t be.  He’s a monster, and I’m a human.  We’re incompatible, so there’s no need for me to feel guilty for not being in love with my husband.  I’m sure that’s a common thing in marriages around the country though.

Still…

Each and every time Patrick looked at me or spoke to/about me, I could see him get all jumpy like an excited kid on Christmas morning.  And he really did take great care of me, even despite my cold attitude towards him and his entire pack.  Shoot, even last week when I’d caught a cold and was bedridden for a couple of days, he’s sprint right to my side the very second I croaked out his name for some water or Ibuprofen.  The man knew all of my likes and dislikes, making sure to go way out of his way to prepare or buy me my favorite foods.  I’d be lying if I said that his chest wasn’t the most comfortable thing I’ve ever rested my head on, his heartbeat the perfect lullaby to help me drift off to sleep.  And he did fiercely protect me whenever he was convinced that I was in danger.  The other day I’d stumbled upon an opossum that was foaming at the mouth in the apartment’s parking lot, and I barely had any time to react before Patrick had me in his arms and was snarling at the rapid creature.  He may be a monster that’s depicted as bloodthirsty on TV, but I’ve never once seen him eat a person.

Ugh, as much as I don’t want to admit it, it’s increasingly obvious that my husband loves me very much.

Maybe… maybe I can make an attempt and begin to let my walls down.  But honestly, I have no clue how I fell in love with a werewolf in the first place, so it would be a hell of a lot easier if I had some of my old memories to help me out.  I suppose I could do some research on my own to try to uncover the remains of my forgotten past.

“Hey, um, Patrick?” I asked the man, instantly feeling his chest rumble.

“I’m happy you’re talking to me, Baby,” he purred.  “But, what is my name?”

“ _Daddy_ , where do I go to school?” I groaned.

“You already graduated,” he answered, still glancing up at the night sky, directing his gaze towards the full moon.  “But you went to school down in Ukiah.  It’s a couple of hours away from here.”

Okay, so traveling a few hours was a no-go.  However, I could still do some research on my own somehow.  All I had to do was figure out a way to ditch Patrick for the time being so that I could do this myself— logic dictated that doing a solo run down Memory Lane would help since I wouldn’t be so on edge with having a werewolf constantly hovering over me like a helicopter.

“Daddy, can I go to the library tomorrow, please?” I asked him, putting on the charm as I rested my head onto his broad chest, even nuzzling him a bit.

I could feel the werewolf tense up as he looked down at me, his red eyes wide and gleeful.  “O-of course, my love,” he breathed.  “What did you need from there?”

“Um, it’s a surprise,” I lied, trying to sound all happy like I was toying with him in a playful manner.  “And that’s why I need to go by myself.”

Immediately, Patrick’s smile fell and he bit down on his lower lip nervously.  “I don’t know, Baby,” he muttered.  “You haven’t quite remembered your way around town.  What if you get lost?”

Hmm…  “Then why don’t you lend me some money so I can take an Uber?” I suggested.

The werewolf frowned now.  “And let my Baby get into a car with a compete stranger?” he snorted.  “No way.”

“I’ll ask Ronnie to take me,” I lied.  Ronnie lived in the same apartment complex as us.  She was nice, sure, but damn she talked a lot so there was no way I’d ever ask her to drive me.  Even without my memory back, I could tell that I wasn’t too fond of people.  I didn’t consider myself shy in the least, I was just severely anti-social.  It was weird that I managed to snag a social butterfly like Patrick as a husband, given that I was content with just sitting in silence while he would ALWAYS go on and on about whatever.

Patrick still looked conflicted, not down with the image of me going out somewhere without him.  It was a mixture of both his possessive and protective side.  I’d be lying if I didn’t say that had Patrick been a human, then I would’ve found a man who was all territorial of me extremely sexy.  But alas, I’m not into bestiality.

But I don’t know, maybe I could give it a shot.  Patrick is not an ugly man by any means.  Although I’ve never seen him work out, he has muscles for days.  And I’ve come to discover that I really find beards incredibly attractive, especially when I feel it scratch up against my face and neck when he’s whispering into my ear that he really wants to top me… uh, I mean, Patrick looks okay.

“O-okay,” Patrick finally relented.  “If it makes you happy, then you can go, if…” A devious smirk formed on his moonlit face, “…if you give Daddy a kiss.”  He puckered out his lips over-exaggeratedly, acting as if I wasn’t actually going to do it.  I hadn’t really been romantic with him since I’d found out that he was a werewolf, so he figured that he had me cornered.

Whatever, I really wanted to get my memory back.

I slapped both of my hands on either side of the man’s shocked face, yanking his head towards me.  At first when our lips brushed up against each other’s, an electric pulse shot from his into mine.  It was so nice how his soft lips felt against mine, his prickly beard tickling my face, making me unconsciously smile at the feeling.  And that was it: just an innocent close-mouthed kiss.  But I swear that I could hear music when I kissed the man, something that was like a blend of low-fi hip hop beats mixed with Catholic choirs.  And the stars brightened up, shooting down cascades of rainbow light throughout the forest as we kissed, and I couldn’t feel the cold air anymore.  Everything about kissing Patrick was right, and I could feel his own smile form against my lips, a purr making his chiseled chest rumble with satisfaction.

“Holy crap,” Patrick beamed when I pulled back.  “I’ll buy you the whole fuckin’ library if you keep that up, Baby.”  He leaned down to nuzzle me, moaning as he breathed in my scent.

Although it was perhaps the most PG kiss I’m sure I’d ever performed, I couldn’t deny the tingles I felt deep inside of my chest.  My heart felt as if it was sputtering like an old-timey car and my lips were numb from the fireworks I’d just experienced.  And I could’ve sworn that Patrick seemed to glow underneath the light of the full moon, looking positively radiant.

Oh… this is bad.  I think I might, *gulp, like my husband.  *Shudder.

**（*´▽｀*）**

Okay, so the library opens up at six in the morning because apparently the librarians love to have their mornings ruined.  Therefore, I set my alarm for five thirty so that I could get up, get ready, and be there as soon as the doors unlocked.  When my alarm went off, I groaned and set another alarm for six thirty because I hate mornings.  I do not need my memory back in order to know that.

When the second alarm went off, I groaned and had to untangle myself from Patrick’s hold.  As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he was the world’s best teddy bear.  I couldn’t exactly explain in a way that made sense to myself, but it felt as if whenever I was in the man’s embrace, all of my worries disappeared.  Shit, in those nightly moments when my face was nuzzled up to his hairy chest, I didn’t even give a crap that he was a werewolf.  All that mattered was that I was cuddling up to my Daddy… um, I mean my husband. 

When I was finally freed (Patrick had totally made it difficult on purpose— I saw him grinning when I’d tried to peel his arms off of me), I took a shower in the bathroom in order to get ready for an entire day at the library.  I figured that the best mode of research would be to check the newspapers there, searching for any article that mentioned the crash that I was involved in.  If there was a picture of the totaled vehicle with me on a gurney or something to that effect, then I’m certain that all of my past memories would come flooding back into my mind.  It made perfect sense!  Nothing else seemed to be working.  Patrick’s stories didn’t do anything, performing my daily routines failed— shit, I’d even tried banging my head against the wall the other day, thinking that some kind of blunt force trauma would do the trick.  All I’d gotten was a headache and a lecture from Daddy on why I shouldn’t cause injury to myself.

That brought about another point: I know that Patrick’s a dangerous monster from horror movies and that I should have my guard up with him, but… I could feel something within me growing.  The kiss we’d shared the other night hadn’t sparked it up instantaneously, but had totally helped to fuel it.  I mean, for a little bit, I’d been finding certain things wrong with my way of thinking.  I’d been finding myself calmer whenever he came home from work and I’d find myself more at ease around him than any other werewolves in the pack.  I’d even noticed the ways my heartbeat would speed up whenever Patrick took his shirt off; and I think he noticed too because he’d try to not-so-subtly flex whenever he was shirtless.  I don’t know for sure though.

Patrick is a werewolf.  Werewolves eat people, although he swore up and down that they don’t.  However, I must’ve been madly in love with him enough to marry him and I’m assuming that I knew beforehand.  Those feelings must’ve been starting to form again, and I knew that if I was truly going to be happy then I needed to get my memories back.  I do not want to live in fear of a monster I share a bed with, so I need my past.  There’s no other way.

I need my memories back dammit!

But at the same time… Patrick was incredibly patient with me, waiting on me hand and foot, making me feel a bit guilty about my situation.  I knew without a doubt that he loved me, it was painfully obvious in the way his entire body would perk up whenever I entered the room, or how his smile always seemed to grow whenever he said my name.  It tore at my heartstrings honestly, the fact that this man was hopelessly head over heels for me while I was a little scared of his species.  

Although at the end of the day, he was also all that I had.  For real, without him, I’d… I don’t know exactly where I’d be, but I’m betting it’d be the streets or somewhere like that.

Fuck… it’s time to face the music: I like Patrick.

Dammit, I admit it.  He may be a werewolf, but he’s also a goofball who likes to put chopsticks in his mouth and pretend to be a walrus whenever we order Chinese takeout.  He’s also the comforter who holds my hand constantly while we’re out in public, giving me a reassuring squeeze whenever the unknown town feels overwhelming.  Patrick is my protector who had yanked me out of the way of a speeding bus when I’d tried to run across the street to pet a stray cat… I hadn’t seem the bus at all, it’d came out of nowhere.  He was the worrier whose body shook and trembled like a vibrator when I’d gotten a nosebleed, and he’d fretfully remained by my side like a guard dog as I stuffed tissues up my nostrils.  And he was the man who faithfully helped me out during my time of need, without any complaints whatsoever.

When it came to the whole Daddy-thing, I’d thought that it was weird at first, but now… I don’t know.  The idea of a muscled-up man with a thick beard telling me to call him “Daddy” made me shudder and clench my ass cheeks.  So yeah, I might like it.

I really do owe it to him to at least try to get my memories back so that I can love him like I used to.  Sure he’s sneaking into my heart right now, but I’m sure that that love will explode into something on another spectrum as soon as my memory returns.

Once I was all dressed and ready to go, I tiptoed out of the apartment without telling Patrick that I was leaving.  He’d most likely try to beg to me to stay and if I had to see his puppy-dog eyes all sad-like one more time, then I might actually give in.  Seriously, they were so cute especially when he pouts out his lower lip and allows a canine whimper to escape from him.

But nope, I had to stay strong because I have a mission: Get my memory back so that I can fall back in love with my husband like I used to be.  I’d be lying if I said that the process of falling for him wasn’t already under way, but I was getting so damn impatient!

I walked out of the apartment, shivering as soon as the foggy air assaulted me.  It was so cold outside and the fog from the ocean was covering the entire town, making it difficult to see down the street.  Plus, it was still early enough so that the sun hadn’t risen all the way, making it all the more harder to navigate.  Maybe I should just stay at the apartment with Daddy instead of trekking through this fog…

No, I need to do this.

After taking a deep breath to mentally prepare myself, I began to walk down the sidewalk in the direction that I thought the library was in.  I’d been there once before, and if my short-term memory was right, then it was down the road heading towards the high school… I think.  Damn it, my memory sucks in general.

Outside was so cold that I shivered with every step that I took, wrapping my arms around me as I attempted to trap the smallest shred of heat to my body.  It failed though, and I continued to walk down the empty streets towards the library feeling like an otter pop.  Seriously though, it was so early on a Saturday that no one else was out on the road or the sidewalk, making it look like the end of the world had just occurred.   It was eerie, the way the blistering wind blew through the empty streets and the thick fog shrouded over everything, blinding me a little bit— I was a little anxious.

Dammit, I kinda wished that Daddy was here.  I wouldn’t be afraid with him here holding my hand— shit.  Yeah, mental outbursts like that just prove that Patrick’s setting up home in my heart.  Ugh, I really need to find this frickin’ library.

I saw the headlights of one shoddy looking vehicle slowly approaching, and I figured that it couldn’t hurt if I asked the driver for some directions.  There’s no way I’d hitchhike though, since I knew for a fact that Daddy would not approve… and there’s no way I want another lecture about how my safety is his number one priority (even if it did kind of warm up my chest a little bit).

I waved at the car and it pulled up alongside the sidewalk.  Wow, this driver must’ve been on a road trip or something because his vehicle had Texas license plates.  The driver rolled his window down and stuck his head out, dark circles under his eyes like he’d been awake for days.

“What?” he grunted in an annoyed tone.  Oh, okay then…

“Um, I wondering if you knew where the library was?” I quietly asked, already regretting my decision to ask for a stranger’s help.

The driver scrunched his face up and shook his head.  “The library?” he snorted.  “I ain’t from here.  I don’t know where the stupid library is.  Who even goes to those anymore?”

Yeah, I shouldn’t have asked him for help.  “Bye then—” I started.

“Wait!” the driver interjected, putting his car into park so that he could rest both of his strong arms on the window sill of his door… Patrick’s arms are a lot buffer.  “I’m lookin’ for someone here and I was wondering if you knew him since this town looks really small, like an ‘Everybody Knows Everybody’ kinda deal.”

I barely know myself…hehe, dark humor.  “Who?” I asked, scratching at my head as I tried to open up my repertoire of faces and names of the few select people/werewolves that I actually did know.  There weren’t many.

“Darren Estrada,” the guy answered.  

Oh!  Alpha Mate!  Yay, it was someone I actually knew.  “Yeah,” I nodded, smiling at my mental progress, “I know him.  I think he’s with his Daddy right now.”

“His Daddy…?” The guy looked even more lost, most likely not in a Daddy!Kink relationship himself.  It was odd being in the know when someone else was not, kind of giving me a fluttery feeling at finally having some mental acuity that I’d been missing for the past couple of weeks.  It made me feel normal.

Despite how good it felt to actually be able to answer some memory-based questions on my own, time was ticking away and thoughts of Patrick waiting alone in the apartment flickered through my brain, making me wince.  “Um, I gotta get going,” I told the guy.  “But just find Paul Martinez.  Wherever Paul is, Darren’s right there attached to his hip… or sitting on his lap.”  Hehe, seriously, all of the Daddies in the pack behaved as if there was no such thing as a chair for their younger mates, having all of us sit on their laps all the time… I wasn’t complaining though.  Patrick had a very soft, comfy lap that always lulled me into a deep sense of security, especially whenever he wrapped both of his strong arms around me.

“On his lap?” the guy repeated, gritting his teeth.  “Well, thank you for the information.  I will go find this… Paul Martinez.”  The stranger rolled his window back up and floored his car down the street, quickly disappearing from sight.

Well, that was weird, but hey!  I was finally able to utilize my memory to help someone!  There’s no way anyone could ruin that moment for me.

I continued to blindly walk around town for a while, taking turns at one street, stopping and turning back down another.  Until finally, I was officially lost.

“Fuck my life,” I hissed to myself, frowning when it dawned on me that I didn’t have a phone since mine had been wrecked in the car accident so I’d been sharing Patrick’s which was at the apartment.  I couldn’t even turn back because I didn’t recognize the street that I was on, and the heavy fog prevented me from seeing anything at a distance to help guide me back.  This was a terrible idea!  I should’ve just stayed at the apartment with my husband and I should’ve stopped being such an annoying brat to him.

All he was doing was loving me.

The realization tugged roughly at my heart, making me tear up a little bit with how selfish I’ve been behaving.  Sure, I could rationalize it with the entire amnesia-causing-me-to-be-afraid-of-werewolves thing, but at the end of day, Patrick never hurt me.  Not even once.  Instead, he took great care of me and treated me like a precious gemstone, never letting his eye off me and constantly attending to my every need.

Son of a bitch, he really was a great husband, while I sucked at being one.  If I ever manage to find my way back home, I should apologize.

I confusedly stumbled down one block, screaming on the spot as soon as I was roughly yanked down a dark alleyway.  My body tumbled to the hard ground, scraping up my hands and even tearing my pants at the knees.  Pain radiated throughout my joints, and I gritted my teeth as I struggled to stand.  However, as soon as I managed to get up the smallest bit, I felt something kick my back, making me crash back down to the ground that was covered in dirt and litter.

“Gimme your wallet!” an unknown man barked at me, pulling a switchblade out from the pocket of his hoodie.  The gleaming metal of the blade shined even through the thick fog, making me tremble in terror.

“H-here!” I stuttered, tossing my wallet at the man’s feet.

He greedily snatched it off the ground, licking his chapped lips like a tweaker as his did so, his pupils as big as dinner plates.  “Two dollars?” he frowned as he rummaged through my wallet.  “And… a receipt for a Big Mac with extra cheese?”

“I l-like cheeseburgers,” I winced.

“Clearly you do,” the man scoffed, looking me up and down.

“Hey!” I whined as I tried to back away from the drugged out man, but my back soon hit a wall, effectively trapping me.  The alleyway of course had to be one of those dead end ones because life hates me apparently.  Go figure, I spend weeks fearing my werewolf husband, only to die at the hands of a drug addict!

“Don’t you got anything else?” the man snorted, pocketing my cash while chucking my emptied wallet at my stunned face.

My bottom lip quivering, I shook my head.  I obviously can’t say for sure, but I’m willing to bet that I’ve never been mugged before.  My entire body was trembling with fear as my eyes honed in on the shiny blade in the robber’s hands, my throat drying up as I was on the verge of fearful tears.  My heart beat like crazy and I could feel my legs tingle as my adrenaline pumped into them, readying me to run… if I managed to live.

Oh shit, I just… I just really wished that Daddy was here right now.

“Fuck!” the man spat, his teeth looking blackened from rotting.  His crazy eyes ran over me once more and he sinisterly grinned.  “I like your shoes.  Give ‘em to me.”  He waved the knife around, emphasizing that I should do as I was told.

“O-okay,” I choked, trying to untie my laces with my numb, shaky hands.  It proved to be so difficult that I was seriously slowed down, my breathing turning into a hitch-pitched wheeze as the addict grew impatient.

“Move it!” he barked, jabbing the knife closer to my face, making me cry out in fear.

The very second that I uttered a frightened sound, both the addict and I heard a low, ferocious snarl that shook the entire earth with its immense power.  The man dropped his knife to the ground and I whimpered as a pair of sadistic red eyes glowed through the thick fog, centering in on the alleyway where we were.  The snarls grew louder and the strong odor of piss filled the air as the addict whimpered, a large wet stain forming on the front of his tattered pants.  The red eyes grew closer, glowing brighter with rage as did the snarls.  An enormous form started to become clearer in the fog, beginning to the take shape of a large animal…

“D-Daddy?” I breathed, feeling the smallest bit relieved.

The snarl erupted with fury as the shadowy figure lunged through the thick fog, the large gray wolf clearing the distance between it and us in a matter of milliseconds.  Daddy stalked though the dark alley, his powerful legs stomping forward menacingly, his massive muscles shifting as he moved.  His red eyes remained locked with the pale tweaker’s face, his upper lip curling demonically as he growled, allowing rows of dagger-like and nightmare-inducing fangs to be on full display.  And although it was truly the most petrifying sight I’d ever witnessed (I think), the pissed off werewolf made my breathing ease up and put a warm blanket of relief over my trembling form.

“What the fuck?!” the robber cried, stumbling back in fright.  The poor guy tripped over this ratty shoes and tumbled onto the ground next to me, eliciting a much more ferocious snarl from Daddy.

The werewolf glanced over at me for a second, slowly closing his red eyes before slowly re-opening them, repeating the motion in an exaggerated fashion.

“Cl-close my eyes?” I questioned, wondering if that was what he was trying to wordlessly communicate to me.

He nodded his giant wolf head, returning his glare to the terrified man beside me who reeked of sweat and piss.

Hesitantly, I obeyed and closed my eyes, even clapping my hands over my face for added measure.  I wasn’t stupid; Daddy loves me and would never do anything to harm me, and apparently that included psychologically as well.  I was Patrick’s mate, and I knew that meant that I was high on his list of priorities, which translated him into doing anything for me.  A man had literally just threatened my life while brandishing a weapon.

I’m not too delusional to not know what’s coming.

“Holy shit—!” the robber shrieked out, followed by blood-curdling screams of pain.  Patrick’s growls were muffled by the stomach-churning noises of splintering bones paired with the tearing of flesh, making me whimper the slightest bit as I curled up into a blind ball on the pavement.  I tried to hum songs I’d heard on the radio out loud, willing to do anything to drown out the squishing noises of my attacker’s body as Patrick mauled him.  Claws seemed to grate against steel, the coppery scent of blood wafting about in the small alleyway, my insides twisting around as I tried my hardest to not throw up.  Eventually the robber’s screams morphed into gurgled gibberish, and then he was silent.

My breath got caught in my throat and I felt a staticky sensation flow over my body as Patrick’s strong, human arms lifted me up from the ground and cradled me to his hard chest.  My hands still glued to my face, I could feel my body shift back and forth as the werewolf carried me out of the alleyway and down the deserted street, most likely traveling to his car.

“Just keep your eyes closed, Baby,” I heard Daddy coo.  “Don’t look back and don’t look at Daddy until he washes up, understand?”

“Y-yes, Daddy,” I yelped, my mind instantly assaulted with dozens of emotions all at once.  I was shocked that I’d potentially just witnessed a man dying… no, there was no ‘potentially’ about it— he was legit dog chow.  And given that I’d been afraid of being with a werewolf before, that really should’ve added some weight to my argument that Patrick was a dangerous man.  However, it didn’t.  I wasn’t frightened of Daddy in the least.  I felt a sliver of remorse for the loss of a life, even if said life was going to take mine… I suppose I’m just super empathic, I am such a good person.  Really, I could go back and forth all day, wallowing that a man was now dead, while rejoicing that Daddy had come to my rescue.  But there was only one single point that I needed to concentrate on.

Daddy had saved my life.

With my eyes still closed, I felt myself being put into the passenger seat of the car, being driven back to the apartment.  As instructed, I kept my eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see Daddy covered from head to toe in the robber’s blood.  I didn’t want to ruin his mental image as a guardian angel with that creepy sight.  I know that I’d been sort of flip-flopping recently, but after being saved by a man who put me on such a high pedestal, I knew now that… that Daddy really was in love with me.

The man had legitimately killed for me.  If that’s not true love, I don’t know what is.  Meanwhile, there I was acting like some ungrateful jerk who treated his own husband like he was stranger who wasn’t worth the time of day.

The guilt grew deep inside of me, making my body shake in tandem with the car’s shocks as the road turned bumpy, meaning that we were almost to the apartment complex.  I began to believe that the right thing to do would be to apologize for my rude behavior, asking for the werewolf’s forgiveness.  I even began to fear that my cold attitude would eventually push him away, ridding myself of the only person in this entire world who knew who I was, and who was in love with that person.  

“Daddy?” I choked out, wincing at my broken voice.  “I-I’m sorry.”

“What?” Daddy asked, sounding shocked.  I could virtually hear him whipping his head to face me with a look of disbelief.  “For what?”

“I just…” I murmured, feeling my throat beginning to grow dry as my eyes watered from behind my palms, “I-I thought that if I could g-go to the library and find some information, th-then I wouldn’t be… then I wouldn’t be scared… of you.”

He was silent, even turning off the radio.

“I was scared,” I admitted, my breathing turning ragged with emotion.  “A-and I’m sorry.  It was stupid of me, I know.”

“No,” Daddy whispered and I felt his rough hand cup my cheek gently, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my cold skin.  “No, Baby.  Nothing you do is stupid, ever.  I told you before and I’ll tell you again: I will do anything for you.  You gotta believe that, Nicky.  I’m in love with you and I took a vow to take care of you, in sickness and in health.  I knew that this would be an uphill battle of sorts, but the prize is so, so worth it because it’s you.”

It wasn’t long before we pulled up to the complex.  I silently fumed in my guilt-ridden stupor, nearly numb as my body was carried into the apartment by Daddy, only to be gently set down onto the sofa.  He was saying such nice and sincere words, as he always did.  Daddy loves me, it’s obvious to me now.  He’s in love with me and will never hurt me— quite the opposite really.  He’ll do everything in his power to make sure that nothing ever hurts me.

He’s my mate and my Daddy, and he’s sort of my best/only friend that I have.

“I’ll be right back,” Daddy said.  “I gotta shower real quick.”  His footsteps retreated down the hall and over to the bathroom where the sound of running water appeared.

I finally opened up my eyes, having to blink a couple of times in order to clear my vision of any blurriness.  I still felt funny inside.  On the one hand, I was so grateful that Daddy had saved my life and I felt that I would be forever indebted to him for that.  On the other hand, I felt as if there was something more that I should be doing in order to express my gratitude.  I could feel a warming sensitive building up inside of my gut, spreading to my limbs and making a lazy grin form on my face whenever thoughts of the sexy werewolf popped into my mind.

Yeah… I got it bad for Daddy.  It’s time I face the facts… and time to do something about it.  I’d say the guy’s earned it.

I got off of the couch, eagerly rushing to the bathroom where I just flung the door open, startling the werewolf who was scrubbing viciously at his beard underneath the shower head.  

“Wha-what is it, Baby?” he panicked from behind the opaque shower curtain.

A sly smile formed on my face as I unbuttoned my jeans.  “I came to ask if you wanted some company?”

With a loud growl of pleasure, the werewolf leapt out of the tub and literally shredded my clothes with his long claws before dragging me into the shower with him.  As Daddy pounded my tight ass, I came to realize two important truths: 1). Herbal Essence is a really good lube, and 2). I love Daddy.

The werewolf leaned over me, tensing up as he came, unleashing a low grunt as he did so.  “Fuck, I love you so much, Baby,” he panted, his knot swelling up to latch me to him as he unleashed tons of his cum into me.  “And I told ya I’d make you fall for me again, didn’t I?” Since he was behind me, I couldn’t see the smirk that I was pretty sure was there.

Nonetheless, I nodded, my body going lax underneath the warm water as I allowed it to lean all the way against Daddy’s chest, smiling as he tightly wrapped his strong arms around me.

“You’re all mine, you know that, right?” he growled, nipping at my neck, eliciting a moan from me as he hit my pulse zone.  “Yeah, you know that now.  You know deep down that you belong to Daddy.  I think your subconscious knew that all along though.”

Who knows? Maybe it did.  I mean, throughout this entire crazy experience with losing my memory and being forced to rely on a werewolf whom I was married to, I never once actually fled from Patrick.  I’d tried that night he exposed the truth to me, but after that, I remained put.  Perhaps it was my subconscious trying to remind me that I was in love with the man in the past, and that I should be with him.  I’m not one-hundred percent sure, but it made sense… plus, it was a super cute notion.

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, not wanting to stroke the guy’s ego too much.

Daddy snickered, nuzzling my neck as he continued to purr.  “Oh Baby,” he chuckled, “now that Daddy knows you love him back, you better prepare yourself.  Because after waiting so long, I plan on fucking you on every inch of this apartment until you smell of nothing but Daddy’s cum.  And your ass will be so sore that every time you feel your hole throb, you’ll know that it’s because Daddy was there.”

Damn, he’s kind of a freak.  But still, it sounded rather fun.

“O-okay,” I panted, gasping when I felt the strong man’s hands running all over my body, feeling up every part of my smooth skin.

Daddy continued to growl with pleasure, his entire body vibrating me as he spoke.  “Yeah, you’re all Daddy’s,” he smirked.  “Once we’re done in here, I’ma fuck you in the hallway, and then on the couch, and then on the kitchen table, and then in the bedroom.  No matter which room you’re in, you’ll know that Daddy claimed your tight hole in there.  ‘Cause you’re mine.”

I know that we’ve been through a lot recently, and that I certainly hadn’t helped the situation at all at first.  However, I knew that Daddy was in love with me, and I was in love with him.  He’s saved my life and took immense care of me during my time of need.  I cannot ask for more from a man.

“I l-love you, Daddy,” I whispered, still a little embarrassed to be saying that out loud to the man.

Daddy thrusted his hips forward, rutting his cock against my prostate, making me roll my head back and moan.  “I love you too, Baby,” he purred, sucking at my neck to mark me with a hickey, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout my body.  This man was a master, turning my body and brain into mush with just the simplest touch.  “And please remember: For you, I’ll do anything.”

I love my Daddy very much.

 


	25. [Extra] Obsession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, but I couldn’t resist… (Insert maniacal laughter here)
> 
> There are some triggers a’plenty in this, but if I list them, then they’ll totally spoil the entire chapter I feel.  So I’ll just say that this Extra is going to be a bit darker than my usual posts.  So strap in (Real-talk, it took me several humiliating years to find out that the expression wasn’t “Strap On”) and prepare for some cringey werewolf stuff!
> 
> (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

   **[Photo of Patrick]**

“Obsession” - Animotion

_My fantasy has turned to madness / And all my goodness / Has turned to badness / My need to possess you / Has consumed my soul_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Patrick, 4 Months Ago]**  
****

“Okay, so I’m really going up to bat here for you,” my brother-turned-boss said as he unlocked the door to the vacant room that would become my classroom, “so I’ma need you to control your temper and not maul any of the students.”  
****

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, waving my hand dismissively at him as I walked into the classroom where I’d teach Art in. 

My brother, Tristan, rolled his eyes as he slapped a folder down onto the wooden desk that rested in the front of the room.  “Here’s the lesson plan,” he frowned, giving me another look over.  “Are you sure you’re up for this? ‘Cause I can talk to Alpha to see if she’ll change her mind.”

Scowling, I shook my head.  “I’ll be fine.”

I was recently kicked out of my pack, forced to be a rogue without a home.  Luckily, because my brother was the principal of a school located just outside of my old pack’s territory, he managed to snag me a teaching position.  I was really grateful for him sticking his neck out for me and potentially risking his status as a pack member, but I couldn’t help but feel nothing except for animosity whenever I thought about the Portland Pack— it was an accident and I’d sworn up and down that I’d never do it again, but Alpha had been a total bitch and demanded that I leave the territory at once.  Whatever, at least I didn’t have a mate yet because then they’d be allowed to remain in the pack without me since I was the one who broke our Number Two Rule.

But I was doing alright.  I managed to get a job and I found a small apartment… although it was in the bad part of town and I’m pretty sure that there’s a meth lab in the basement, it’s a place to rest my head.  Plus, I’m a werewolf; if any idiot tries to fuck with me, then it’ll be the last thing they ever do.

Tristan sighed and pinched the skin above his nose.  “Well, just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you out,” he groaned, shaking his head slightly as he exited the classroom.

My first day progressed fairly easily.  Since it was the first day of the school year, all I had to do was pass out a syllabus that I’d downloaded from online and had the students sketch whatever they wanted for the rest of the class: Simple work in which I could spend a majority of my time on the computer at my desk, scrolling the Internet for random junk to pass the time.  Even my inner wolf was growing bored out of his skull, spending the time daydreaming about hunting or sprinting through the forest at high speeds— maybe I’ll go for a run once school lets out.

Eventually the last class of the day came, the students filing in and going to whichever table they wanted since I didn’t care enough to assign seats.  I had my back turned to them, scribbling down random notes on the whiteboard mainly to look like I was actually doing something instead of sitting on my ass all day.

_Smell that?_ my wolf asked, suddenly perking up.

Curious, I sniffed at the air, nearly moaning out loud as soon as the delicious scent of bubblegum mixed with cheap body spray alerted my senses.  It really was a sweet scent and the more I inhaled, the more my wolf stirred, wondering what the source of the luring aroma was.  My mouth watered and I could feel my cock twitch in my pants and I hurriedly planted myself down in my chair so that I could hide my hardening member behind the desk.  

I had to find out what that smell was.  It the best scent in the whole damn world, and it seemed to scream out to me.  And the more I breathed it in, the more I wanted it all for myself.  Maybe it was some kind of new perfume that one of the students was wearing and I could nonchalantly ask them where they purchase their hygiene products… yeah, that’s not weird at all.

The bell rang and I struggled to maintain my composure so that I could do the necessary introduction to the class.

“Um, h-hello class,” I nervously swallowed, feeling a sweat beginning to break out on my forehead as my inner wolf urged me to find the delicious source of the addictive scent.

_I want it!_ he yelled at me, clawing at the surface to be let loose.  My nails began to elongate and I could feel my shirt grow tighter by the second as I was getting closer to phasing.

Luckily, because American high schools tended to be filled with teenagers who couldn’t give two shits about school, my students didn’t seem to notice the inner turmoil that I was having.  A majority of them thought that they were being sly by keeping their backpacks on top of their desks so that they could “hide” the fact that they were texting.  One kid in the back was sucking down a water bottle that reeked of vodka.

Okay, I can get through this.  I took a deep breath and forced my wolf to calm down, clenching my jaw as I tried to push forward with simple roll call.  All I have to do is take attendance and then I can excuse myself for a little bit to calm down.  I just have to make it five minutes, that’s it.  Just five minutes and then maybe I can find Tristan and tell him what’s up.  Still, that tantalizing scent teased me, growing in strength within the enclosed classroom.

Swallowing loudly, I struggled to continue.  “W-welcome to Art Class,” I stammered, my voice getting all the more growly as I pressed on, my wolf frantically begging to be let loose so that he could sniff out the source of the aroma that made me hard as a rock.  “M-my name is Mr. Fischer… a-and I’m sure w-we’ll all have a great time this, uh, year.”  I had to wipe my brow and undo the top button of my shirt to try to cool off.  “Uh, l-let’s do some roll call.”  I glanced at the computer screen that listed all of the students’ names that I had this period.  “Um, Antonio Arroyo?”

The kid in the back who was getting drunk perked up and raised his hand.  “Here!” he slurred, eliciting several giggles from his peers.  Ugh, I can already tell that I don’t get paid enough to put up with this shit.

“Nadine Byers?” I called, trying to take deep breaths to get rid of the massive amount of tension that was building up in my joints.

A girl with dyed purple hair in the front of the room eagerly raised her hand.  “I’m here, Mr. Fischer!” she announced in a peppy voice.  “And let me just add, that I’m very excited to be learning all about Art, because it’s always been my favorite subject ever since…” Oh God, I had to tune her out before both me and my wolf die of boredom and anticipation.

My eyes scanned the twenty students who were in this period, trying to see if one of them was eating some kind of sweet, decadent-looking dessert.  The aroma was so sugary that it had to have belonged to some kind of cake or ice cream, something incredibly tooth-rottingly candied.  No one had any food on their desks that I could see, so I kept going through roll call.

Eventually, I reached a certain name on my list: “Nicholas Hwang?”

“Here!” came a soft, angelic voice from the far corner of the room, closest to the window.  “And I go by ‘Nicky’.”

I glanced up to take note of the boy’s seat when I froze on the spot.  What met my eyes was a gorgeous pair of deep brown eyes; and as soon as our sight locked, the ground was ripped out from beneath my feet and I experienced a falling sensation as I felt the entire world stop.  I swear, it was as if that boy in the back of my classroom was a black hole and his intense gravity was roughly yanking me towards him, refusing to let me go… but that was fine because I didn’t want to let go.  The boy’s soft skin was a milky white and his jet black hair was neatly combed and just begged me to run my fingers through it.  He had on thick-rimmed glasses that magnified his wide eyes as he answered me, his thin lips a luscious pink… but I bet I can make them all red and puffy in a matter of seconds.  He was beautiful, plain and simple.  He’s the most beautiful creature that I’ve ever seen, and he’s right in my classroom.  My addled brain clicked together the pieces as it became increasingly obvious that my boy was the source of the delicious scent, everything about him pulling me inwards: his mouth-watering aroma, his alluring voice, and his oh-so precious body.

_Mate!  He’s our mate!  Take him!_ my wolf urged, scratching at the surface and toying with my instincts to claim and mark.

“Mine,” I lowly growled, feeling my fangs begin to steadily grow as my territorial urges grew.

“What was that, Mr. Fischer?” the teacher’s pet wannabe, Nadine, asked.

I jerked back in my seat, shaking myself out of the daze that finding my mate had pulled me into.  “Uh, n-nothing,” I lied.  “It looks like all the desks are taken, so it’s safe to assume everyone’s here.  Uh, j-just draw whatever.”

The students looked puzzled for a moment, but then they collectively shrugged and began to doodle in their notebooks.

Of course, since I’m a werewolf, I was well-rehearsed in what having a mate meant.  This meant that no longer was I just a rogue, I was now a rogue werewolf who had someone to look after.  Immediately, my inner wolf berated me for not taking my job too seriously, arguing that we needed a source of income in order to provide for our boy.  My crappy apartment suddenly seemed repulsive as the neighborhood that I lived in became blatantly obvious that it wasn’t a safe place to bring my mate around.  Oh fuck, I was so whipped, and in under a minute.  I was aware of the fact that a mate is the center of a wolf’s universe and that the two fall in love the second they lay eyes on one another.  And it was true for me.  As I stared at my boy, I could feel an emptiness form in my chest… and it was in the shape of Nicky.  I need him, I want him… I love him.  In that small second in which we first met, I was already head over heels in love with the human.

Damn, this mating stuff is intense.

I watched from my desk up front as the students scribbled in their notebooks, drawing whatever the hell they wanted to.  All the while, my eyes were honed in on Nicky, studying his every movement.  He was right-handed and made long stroking movements with his pencil as he drew… mmm, long stroking movements… I have something else he can use that technique on.  Oh fuck, I was now completely hard, my boner snaking down my pant leg.  And no, I’m not trying to stroke my own ego, but I am pretty large (*cough, eight and a half inches) so it would be very difficult to hide my hard cock from a room full of teenagers.  It’ll be okay though, all I have to do is stay glued behind my desk and try with all of my might to not explode in my pants.

Unfortunately for me, the more I stared at my boy’s smooth and unblemished skin, the more I longed to touch him.  My boy looked so pure and my inner wolf craved to be the one to soil him up, drench him in my cum and make him absolutely reek of my scent— then everybody will know that he’s off limits and that he belongs to me.  I’ll have him pinned underneath me as I thrust into his tight hole that’s only for me, and he’ll cry out at first because I’m a little too big for his small body; but after a little bit, he’ll be moaning out for more, like “Harder Daddy!” and I’ll be all too happy to oblige for my Baby—

I shuddered and tensed up, shooting out my load in my pants… in front of the damn classroom.  Oh crap, but at least the large wet spot on my khakis was hidden underneath the desk from view.

_“Daddy”?_ my wolf wondered, thinking over my fantasy.  _Yeah, that is pretty fuckin’ hot._

Holy crap, I can’t wait until I can pull Nicky aside and reveal to him that he’s my mate.  Obviously he’ll be just as overjoyed as I am, and then I’ll take him… somewhere, I don’t care just as long as it’s just the two of us, and no one else.

“Babe,” the guy sitting next to my Nicky giggled, “the teacher keeps staring you down.”  Babe?! Did that idiot just seriously call MY boy, ‘Babe’?

Nicky lightly chuckled, trying to keep his voice down— oh God, his laugh was so beautiful that I almost forgot all of my frustration towards the kid next to him.  “Whatever, Trevor,” he laughed.  “What’s up? Is it making you jelly?”

“Of course,” Trevor mock-pouted, sticking out his lower lip in an exaggerated fashion.  “I don’t like the idea of any man creepin’ in on my territory.”

“Your territory?” Nicky snickered, his face turning red from laughing so hard.  Meanwhile, my face was growing bright red with rage as it quickly dawned on me that my mate was in a relationship with this stupid Trevor guy.  

_His territory?!_ my inner wolf howled, demanding revenge.  _We should knot Mate right here in front of the whole damn class.  Then there’d be no question as to who he belongs to._

That did sound like a good idea, and I did consider it for a brief moment.

“How ‘bout you come on over here and sit on Daddy’s lap?” Trevor teased, opening his thin arms for my boy to go to him.  “It’ll show Mr. What’s-His-Name that you’re taken.”

Nicky blushed, but then nodded and tried to stealthy maneuver out of his seat.  I’ll give it to him, my mate tried to be quiet, but his shoes were a little squeaky… and it didn’t help that one-hundred percent of my focus was directed at him.  The moment that his firm ass that was perfectly shaped in those tight jeans touched down onto Trevor’s lap, I almost phased and attacked the whole damn class.

“Mate— um, Mr. Hwang!” I roared, slamming my fist down onto my desk so hard that a small crack formed where I’d struck it.  “Stay in your assigned seat!”  Unconsciously, I’d caught myself scooting back in my seat and holding my arms out, signaling for my mate to come sit on my lap where he belongs.

Nicky flinched and rushed back into his own seat, immediately turning his attention back to his drawing.  I overheard the rest of the students murmuring among themselves, some commenting on how they’d assumed that I’d be the hard-ass of the school, which made a few of them put their phones away out of fear that I’d yell at them.  Even Trevor pursed his lips and faced downward at his desk, refusing to glance over his soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.

But I think that I might’ve yelled too loudly at my Baby, because he refused to look back up at me.  Even when the bell rang and the students all leapt to their feet to flee school grounds for the day, my boy refused to look in my direction even once.

_You yelled too loud!  You scared him!_ my inner wolf whined, whimpering at the notion of my precious Baby being afraid of me.

I stood up, wincing at the small wet stain on my pant leg.  “Ni-Nicky!” I called out as my mate scurried for the door, but he didn’t hear me.  I held my head in my hands as I sighed defeatedly.  Great, so I finally find my mate after thirty long years and not only is he in a relationship already, but I yelled at him and made him afraid of me.

This was going to be a little difficult, but I’m optimistic.

**(๑ ˊ͈ ᐞ ˋ͈ )ƅ̋**

Things were not going well at all.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.  And still, Nicky wasn’t any closer to being mine now than he had been on the day that I met him.  I don’t know why though; I’ve been doing everything that I’d been taught as a pup when it came to how to court a mate!  

I’d tracked down his house and positioned myself outside every night, making sure to keep any unknown guy and threat away from him (and I also bit a chunk out of Trevor’s tires a couple times) to show that I can protect him.  Shoot, I even found a way inside his house and had rolled around in his bed so that every morning my scent clings to him throughout the day.  I would occasionally hunt for him, making sure to take down large prey such as deer and even a bear to show him that I can provide for him.  During class whenever I’d walk down the rows to check on the students’ progress as they worked, I’d make sure to “accidentally” brush up against Nicky, or sometimes I’d pat him on the back, establishing closeness and reinforcing my scent’s dominance on him.  When I was on lunch and ate in the teacher’s lounge, whenever the teachers would open up the yearbooks to talk shit about the students, I made sure to always talk up my Baby, making it impossible for anyone to bad talk him— and if they tried, I’d bare my fangs at them and they’d instantly shut up (but I was all for trash talking Trevor, who a lot of the teachers couldn’t stand coincidentally).  Tristan easily picked up on the fact that Nicky was my mate, and he’d threatened to have him removed from my class if I dared show him preferential treatment over my other students, which I promised not too— but I did.  Nicky always got an A+ on each and every project that he turned in… even when some of them were subpar.

However, all of my hard work wasn’t completely in vain.  Through each and every interaction, despite it being for merely an hour, I got to learn more and more about my precious Baby.  He was a senior who loved to laugh, whether it be at the goofiness of himself or his peers, or even a pity chuckle at one of my failed jokes that I’d used in class.  And his laugh was like heroin for my ears— I was hopelessly addicted to it and longed for it all day, everyday.  His favorite subject for his artwork were insects, particularly moths; and he always captured the fuzziness of their abdomens perfectly with pencil.  Nicky was the epitome of sunshine.  His smile was one of the largest that I’ve ever seen (I’ll just ignore the fact that they seemed to never be directed my way), and his perfectly white teeth were polished and manicured due in part to the fact that his mom’s an orthodontist and his father’s an oral surgeon.  Based on the multiple posters in his bedroom, he loves anime and prefers electronic music over other genres.  

Even if he wasn’t my mate and I wasn’t a werewolf, I know that I’d be hopelessly in love with my Baby.  He’s the nicest person I know; I once saw him purchase a homeless man lunch at McDonald’s, and he gave away his umbrella to an elderly woman who was waiting at the bus stop.  Every time a dog passes him, he smiles widely and always asks the owner if he can pet them… the dog, not the owner— there’s no way I’d allow him to pet another man.  I’ve checked his report card in the office, and he has a 4.0 and is ranked #3 in his senior class.  We love the same movies, appreciate art, hate driving, and were Team Jacob.  Nicky’s perfect, and best of all, he’s all mine.

But nothing was working!  Nicky didn’t even share a glance with me anymore since I’d barked at him in class, and he seemed to be giving all of his attention to Trevor.  My inner wolf was growing more and more impatient, demanding that I claim my mate soon. 

It was five minutes until school let out for the day, and most of the students had already packed up all of their belongings to bolt as soon as the bell rang.  However, there were some who were dragging ass when it came to cleaning up their stations.  I’d assigned them with painting a scene from a movie; Nicky was painting the boat destruction scene from _Jaws_ , and it was badass.  And fortunately, Nicky was running behind when it came to cleaning up his station, multiple bottles of acrylic paint still scattered around him.  Because he likes to try to be efficient, he bunched a large group of paint bottles in his arms to carry the whole lot over to the back cabinet where they were stored in one trip.  

One bottle fell from his arms, bursting on the floor and spraying red paint all over the ground.  Because one less bottle disrupted the hold that he had on them, my poor Baby dropped the rest of the paint bottles that he’d been carrying, creating a rainbow mess at his feet.

“Fuck,” he hissed, clenching his fists in humiliated agitation.  Oh yes…

“Mr. Hwang,” I called out, trying to fight the smirk that was crawling onto my face.  “I expect you to stay after class to clean that mess up.”

Nicky clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes.  “Fine,” he huffed, knowing that I had him caught.  My mate was very responsible and always acknowledged whenever he was in the wrong— I loved that about him.  Therefore, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to get my boy alone, and then I could start to wedge my way into his heart while simultaneously kicking Trevor out.

“Don’t worry, Babe,” Trevor cooed, rubbing MY boy’s back reassuringly, “I’ll help you clean it up.”

“No!” I barked, launching myself out of my seat, startling a couple of my students.  All eyes turned to me, and my face burned red with rage and embarrassment.  This was supposed to be my private time with my Nicky, just us two!  Trevor wasn’t supposed to impede on that.

That fuckin’ runt is seriously becoming a pain in my ass!

“Why not?” Trevor scoffed, crossing his arms in front of his tiny chest, trying to look tough… oh how sad.  “I’m volunteering my help to my boyfriend.  How is that a problem?”

…I couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse, further pissing me off even more.  

My inner wolf and I hated Trevor with a fiery passion.  No matter where my Nicky was, he was always there, attached to him at the hip like a tumor.  “That floor better be spotless,” I growled, sitting back down at my desk, trying to calm down so that I wouldn’t phase in front of a bunch of teenagers.

The bell rang, and all the students except for my precious Nicky and that shitty Trevor fled.  The entire time the two cleaned up the paint off the floor, I fumed at my desk, my eyes narrowed at a certain child who was messing with the wrong wolf.  Back when I’d belonged to a pack, the way we handled people who messed with another wolf’s mate was swift and brutal— lots of fun.  The memories of my pack brought some nostalgia into me, and I reminisced about being a pup, running around with my pack brothers as we hunted for deer and foxes.  

Hmm, I might go for a run before I go to my Baby’s house tonight.

“So, Babe, ya hear about Janie’s party this weekend?” Trevor asked as he scrubbed some green gunk off of the lower half of the wall.

Nicky nodded.  “Yeah, but I probably won’t go,” he mumbled.  “My mom’s really been pressuring me to go visit my grandparents, so I’ll probably be searching for plane tickets…”

I perked up, my inner wolf alert as soon as we heard the word “Plane”.  My mate was talking about traveling somewhere that required a plane? No, no.  I’m putting my foot down, he’s not flying anywhere without me.  There’s no way I’ll allow him to get on that plane.  It was hard enough dealing with the fact that my mate was emotionally distant from me, I couldn’t handle him being physically far as well.  Plus, his last name was Hwang, so his grandparents were probably somewhere in South Korea, which was too damn far for my liking.

“Where do they live again?” Trevor wondered, making me strain my ears so that I could know if I needed to buy a book on Korean phrases.

“Albuquerque, New Mexico.”  Oh…  Even so, that’s still too damn far!

Trevor nodded, biting down on his lower lip for a second.  “Well,” he drew out, “I’ve been saving up my paychecks, and I have enough where if you’d like, I could drive you there.  It’d be like a road trip, just the two of us.”

…grrr.

A small smile formed on Nicky’s soft lips.  “Really?” he asked, his beautiful face lighting up with jubilation.

Trevor nodded.  “Yeah, it’d be fun,” he said.

“Okay!” Nicky cheered, wrapping his small arms around Trevor in a happiness-soaked hug… dammit.  Damn it all!

Not only was my mate going to be leaving the state for a chunk of time, but Trevor was going to be accompanying him?! Really?!  This was bullshit!  Nicky is my mate, he belongs to me!  He was made for me, he smells like me, and soon he’ll be riding me!  I can’t wait any longer, I have to step up my game if I want Nicky to be my Baby.

_Mate!  Don’t let Mate leave!_ my wolf whimpered, fearing the possibility of us not being able to see our boy.  Ever since we’d met, I’d made sure to camp outside of Nicky’s house every night, being lulled to sleep to the sounds of his even breathing.  I lived for the last class of the day where we were in the same room, and the entire world seemed brighter when he was in my direct line of sight.

I can’t… I can’t go a day without my mate.  I won’t.

But first…

My eyes honed in on that fucking pest, Trevor.  I bared my teeth in his direction, pissed off that my mate would rather spend his time with him than me.  I have to get Trevor out of the picture somehow.  Then Nicky will realize that he belongs to me, and me only.

**( ╬◣ 益◢)**

It was Friday, and after some serious thought, I finally figured out what I was going to do.  It would be a dangerous plan to enact, but for Nicky, I’ll do anything.  I stalked behind my love and Trevor (grr…) in the hallways, straining my ears to listen in on their conversations.

“I dunno,” Nicky said, his voice light and airy, soothing away some of my anger in an instant, “I thought that he looked okay in the movie.  I feel like people tend to equate clean-shaved guys with being sort of boyish and angelic.  But, I like beards.”

“But I can’t grow a beard,” Trevor whined.  “It always comes out all patchy.”

There was no hiding my smug satisfaction as I rubbed at my full beard, snickering at poor little Trevor who wasn’t man enough to grow facial hair.  Meanwhile, I had plenty of facial hair that will be sure to elicit sensual reactions from my Baby when I go down on him later.

Nicky shrugged.  “Don’t worry,” he teased, “you’ll go through puberty soon.”  Got ‘em!  He froze when he reached his locker, eying the red rose and note that I’d stuck on there before school started.  “What’s this—?” I figured that if deer and bears wouldn’t get his attention, then maybe flowers would.  My inner wolf doubted me, saying that pups love the sweet taste of deer meat while flowers were just colorful weeds.

That irritated and jealous look on Trevor’s face was the icing on the cake as he scowled down at the note that my Baby read.  Shoot, this was a win-win: I get to court my mate, and piss off that little cretin.  

“‘ _Nicky,_ ’” my Baby read the note aloud, his eyebrows scrunching together as he did so, “‘ _You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid my eyes on.  Every time I see your precious face, my heart stops beating and I feel as if I’m floating on air.  I know that I can be the man to make you happy and that I can take care of you the best.  So please give me a chance and meet me in the art room during lunch.  Please come alone.  Love, Daddy’_ — what the hell?” He held the note away from himself using just two fingers as if it were disease-ridden… well, I wasn’t expecting that response.

_I told you he’d want deer_ , my inner wolf scoffed.  _Or rabbit._

Trevor snatched the note from my boy’s hand, eying it with an intense hatred written all over this reddening face.  He clenched his jaw and proceeded to rip the paper up into tiny pieces, throwing them down to the floor.  “Baby,” he grunted in a controlled voice, “why don’t you eat lunch with Nadine in the library today? I will meet up with this fuckin’ freak to show them that you’re off limits.”

“Are you sure?” Nicky asked, scrunching up his face.  “I mean, we can just ignore it.  Or, maybe it was a prank?”

Trevor shook his head.  “Just let me handle it,” he cooed, wrapping his arms around MY boy’s waist.  “I’ll go to the art room during lunch, and I’ll have a chat with your secret admirer.”

Nicky wanted to argue, I could see it in his troubled face.  “F-fine,” he relented. 

I turned around and went to my classroom, smirking the entire way there over the fact that everything was going according to plan.  I knew that Trevor would obviously be with my Nicky when my mate found the note.  And I knew that he liked to think of himself as some sort of alpha male who could actually be the right choice for my Baby.  Well, I’ll just have to prove to him that he’s dead wrong.

The school day flashed by in a blur, and before long, the lunch bell rang.  My students rushed out of the classroom at an alarming speed, all of them nearly starving to death for the gruel that the cafeteria claims is food.  I shot out of my seat and closed the blinds on all of the windows.  I even taped up construction paper over the small windows on the door, making sure that no one could see inside the classroom.

My inner wolf bounced up and down underneath my skin, eager to finally be doing something about my mate.  Today was finally going to be the day in which some damn progress was going to be made.  I can now get the ball rolling, and soon Nicky will be living with me, sleeping in my arms every night and calling me “Daddy”.  My cock twitched as I fantasized about me and boy coupled together in bed, me on top of course.

The door burst open, a red-faced Trevor storming inside.  “Okay, Asshole!” he blindly shouted.  “I’m about to show you that you don’t write any kind of fuckin’ note to my boyfriend…” He trailed off when he saw that I was the only other person in the classroom besides him.  “…um, was there someone else here?”

Sitting back down at my desk, I shook my head.  “Nope,” I said.  “What is it that you need, Trevor?”

The poor fool knit his eyebrows together, looking like he was in physical pain as he attempted to use his brain.  His eyes kept darting to me, to Nicky’s desk, to me, to the door, and then back to me.  The blood drained from his face and his eyes widened.

“Is there something you need, Trevor?” I smirked.

“Don’t think that I don’t know what you’re up to, Fischer,” Trevor spat, locking the door and stalking over towards my desk like he was some threat to me… stupid kid.  He tried to puff out his chest, but it was pathetically small and undefined from years of wasting time online instead of going outdoors.

In response to him trying to flex on me, I stood up and puffed out my own chest, smirking as I actually managed to pop off one of the buttons from my shirt with my massive pecs.  I crossed my larger arms in front of me, cocking my eyebrow at the tiny teen of whom I had over a foot on.  “Oh really?” I scoffed.  “And what exactly do you think you know?” Even my inner wolf was amused with this human’s misplaced confidence, wondering what he had up his sleeve.

Trevor narrowed his blue eyes at me, trying to scowl and look tough, but instead he looked constipated.  “It’s painfully obvious that you’ve got a hard on for my boyfriend,” he sneered.

I flinched and struggled to maintain my composure.  _He knows_ , my wolf whispered.  _We need to deal with him._

I tried to ignore my inner wolf and the irritating boy in front of me, rolling my eyes and as I turned away from him so that I could hide my fangs that grew out of frustration, trying to write down notes onto the whiteboard in a sad attempt to distract myself.

“You’re being ridiculous, Trevor,” I muttered, cringing when I noticed the slight growl audible in my voice.  “I’m your boys’ teacher, that would be inappropriate.”  Scribbling down note after note about contours and different types of paintbrushes, I struggled to push my wolf back down as he tried to convince me to take care of the pestering child.

“No, I’m not!” the boy pouted, even stomping his foot against the linoleum floor.  “It’s so obvious in the way you stare at him like a fuckin’ perv.  And you’re trying to show off in those tight clothes, looking like some ’80’s _Teen Wolf_ reject with that flannel and ugly beard!”

“Yeah?” I chuckled, not thinking before I spoke.  “‘Cause as I recall, Nicky has stated that he likes facial hair.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I bit down on my lower lip, cursing at myself for being so incredibly stupid for revealing that information.

“How did you…?” Trevor wondered aloud, taking a step back.  “Wh-where you following us?”

_Let me handle this_ , my wolf urged, scratching at the surface.  _Let me talk to him.  I can get him to see reason._

I don’t know…

_Come on.  I’ll take care of things.  Trust me._

Fine.

I relaxed my nerves and felt my inner wolf move throughout my veins, the sensation leaving a thick and full feeling while he infected and penetrated my human body.  In the faint reflection of the whiteboard, I could see my fangs elongate and my eyes glow that familiar red.  My human face smirked back at me as I sat as a spectator, viewing life through my eyes as my inner wolf controlled my human form like a puppeteer.

“It’s funny you should mention _Teen Wolf_ ,” I found myself saying, my voice animalistic and with a gravelly tone to it.  Since my wolf was in charge of my body and thereby what I said, I was a little shocked at the words that came out of my mouth.  Honestly, I’d just planned on threatening to fail Trevor if he continued to be with my Nicky.  I had no clue where my inner wolf was taking this.

“Oh yeah?” Trevor snorted.  “Why’s that? Are you a werewolf?” The teen added on a mock-scared noise, trying to tease me and get under my skin… but it wouldn’t work.

My muscles tensed up and the wolf surprisingly kept up the charade of writing on the whiteboard, although he’d started just writing down gibberish that made no sense.  “Yep,” I grinned, “and there’s something we weres have called ‘Mates’.  They’re the center of our entire world and we will do anything to secure them by our sides.  And that includes eliminating pests that stand in our way.”

Trevor snorted again and I didn’t need to be looking at him to know that he was rolling his eyes a second time.  “That’s a nice story,” he droned.  “And I suppose that you’re alluding to the idea that my boyfriend is your… mate, was it?”

“Mm-hmm,” I growled, my chest rumbling deeply and sending a tremor through the floor.  “Apparently you’re not as stupid as you look, Pup.”

“And if you are a werewolf, and if what I’ve read in _Twilight_ is true, then wouldn’t that mean that you have an alpha? And wouldn’t said alpha frown on a teacher dating their students as much as the principal would?” He thought he had me, and the cockiness in his voice made me clench my fists and drop the dry-erase marker from my clutches.

“I do not belong to a pack,” I snarled, my upper lip curling over my teeth that began to ache with a sickening need.  “I was kicked out.”

“Okay, I’ll bite,” Trevor muttered in an irritated tone.  “Why were kicked out of your werewolf pack, Mr. Fischer?”

I could see the idea that was forming in my inner wolf’s mind, and I knew with one-hundred percent certainty that he fully intended on acting out on it… but I didn’t exactly protest.  Sure it was wrong, and sure I’d promised myself that I’d never do it again, but it would bring me closer to my Nicky.  And if my Baby was the grand prize, then I’d do anything.

“Because I broke our Number Two Rule,” I mumbled, angrily recalling the horrified glares from my ex-pack brothers when they’d discovered my indiscretion.

“You lost your flea collar?” Trevor chuckled.  “Dude, this is getting dumb—”

I shook my head, feeling my fangs elongate to their full length, sharpening as they did so.  “No,” I growled, the rumbling growing stronger in my chest as my entire body began to shake.  “I ate a human.”

“Huh?”

My body exploded into my wolf form in a flash, and I spun around to snarl menacingly at the pathetic boy who pissed his pants at the mere sight of me.  Jaws wide open, I pounced.

**ᕙ( * •̀ ᗜ •́ * )ᕗ**

When I was a pup, my mom was gunned down my hunters.  It had destroyed my dad, her mate, turning him into an almost comatose shell of a man who was incapable of feeling anything afterwards.  I swore from a young age that I would track down the hunter who had killed my mom and make him pay.  
****

Three months ago, I’d finally tracked down that hunter, and I ate him.  Of course, I hadn’t gone to his house with the intention of devouring him, his wife, and his two children… and his cat.  However, the second that I had laid my eyes on that asshole who’d ruined my life, I couldn’t control myself.  I’d phased and stormed into the small home, chomping down on his face first so that his screaming couldn’t alert anyone else.

I knew it was wrong, but it was like the strongest strain of heroin.  Once my fangs sank into that soft flesh and I tasted the coppery blood on my tongue, my adrenaline spiked and my nerve endings went all numb.  It was a euphoric feeling I’d experienced as I digested that hunter and his family, my inner wolf finally feeling as if we’d gotten our revenge.

What I didn’t count on was the fact that human blood alters a werewolf.  It acts like the strongest drug there is, making the werewolf crave human flesh twenty-four/seven.  Their eyes turn red whenever they’re in their wolf forms, signifying that they’ve been afflicted with bloodlust.  And that’s what alerted my pack to my deed.  Honestly, I’d believed that they would’ve commended me for taking out a hunter, but holy crap, was I wrong.  My alpha had been furious, demanding that I either leave the pack or be killed.  She had argued that it was flesh-eating werewolves like me that were the reason why our kind was forced to live in secret; humans were afraid of the monster that I had become, and rightfully so.  The exact millisecond that that hunter’s blood was tasted by my tongue, I became the predator and humans became the prey.

That’s why I’m rogue, living on my own outside of my old territory.  I wasn’t stupid too, though— I knew that if I didn’t control my new urges to consume human flesh, then I’d quickly alert werewolf hunters to my location with all of the people turning up missing.  So each and every day, I fought my cravings, sometimes hunting far more deer than necessary just to quench my thirst for blood.

And now that I have Nicky, a human, as my mate, it’s all the more important that I stay in control of my urges.  I’d never hurt Nicky— I’ll kill myself before I lay a finger on him in that way.  However, days come when my jaw twitches and my fangs pop out when I see a human walking down the street, or when some messy eater spills barbecue sauce all over themselves.  Despite all of the cravings and deep-seeded hunger, I’ve been doing very well… except for Trevor who was probably in my lower intestine right now.

That was for the best, though.  Now that Trevor’s out of the picture, I can finally court my mate.

**（￣ε￣＠）**

“Nicky!” I called, jogging over to my boy who waited on the bench in front of the school, both elbows resting on his knees as he held his head up in boredom.  He remained perched beneath the awning, trying to stay dry from the heavy rain that was pouring down.  I tried very hard to fight my smirk that was forming on my face, knowing very well that my mate was on school grounds an hour and half after class let out because he was still waiting for Trevor to drive him home as he had always done.  Not anymore though, hehe.

Nicky glanced over me, his face falling when he saw that it was just me.  “Oh, hey, Mr. Fischer,” he mumbled.

_Mate doesn’t sound happy to see us_ , my inner wolf frowned, nearly bursting out into tears.

I cleared my throat once I reached the bench, nervously running my hand along the back of my neck.  Finally, I was all alone with my mate, and now I can get him to see that we belong together and that I’m the best man out there for him.  I’m his Daddy, and he’s my Baby— he has to see that!  My eyes ran up and down his cold form, and I waged an internal war with myself to not scoop him up in my arms right there and then.  

“Um, wh-what are you still doing at school?” I asked, playing dumb while I fought to hide that shit-eating smirk as my stomach gurgled.

Nicky sighed, taking another look over at the empty parking lot (I’d given Trevor’s car keys to some stoned kid, telling him to have fun).  “I’m waiting for my boyfriend,” he said, “but I think he might’ve forgotten me.”  The disappointed tone in his voice roughly yanked at my heartstrings and I almost broke down apologizing profusely to him.

“Have you tried calling him?” I’d already flushed Trevor’s phone.

Nicky shook his head.  “My phone’s dead,” he frowned.

“Um, w-well,” I stuttered, swallowing loudly, “i-if you want, I c-can give you a ride to your house?”

Nicky flinched— don’t do that!  “Isn’t that, like, not allowed?” he wondered, looking me up and down with his hypnotic eyes.  “I mean, since you’re a teacher and I’m a student?”

…I’m actually not sure.  “I won’t tell if you won’t,” I shrugged.  I nodded towards the crappy weather.  “It beats walkin’.”  As if fate were actually on my side this time, a crash of thunder roared out right on cue.

“O-okay,” my Baby nodded, scooping up his backpack.  “I live over on Santos Street.”

I know.  “Alright,” I smiled, jumping up and down excitedly.  “Come on.”  I led my mate over to my car, opening up the door for him to show that I was a chivalrous gentleman who will take care of him.  This was great!  I was going to get some alone time with Nicky, and there was no way Trevor could fuck this up!  Finally!  It’s about damn time that I get the opportunity to court my mate and make him fall in love with me.  Man, I was already so madly in love with this boy— I can’t wait until he’s all mine.

As I drove out of the school parking lot, my eyes kept darting over to the angel in the passenger seat who kept his vision directed outside his window.  God, he was so beautiful.  There wasn’t a single blemish or mark on his flawless skin, and his dark hair shone with such radiance that it looked soft to the touch.  And his scent invaded and dominated my senses within the enclosed car, and I deeply moaned as I took in a deep breath, basking in its glory.

“Are you okay?” Nicky asked, jerking me out of my dazed state.  My mate is concerned about my well-being!  Progress!

“Y-yeah,” I chuckled.  “So, um, tell me, h-how’s school coming along for you?” My time was ticking away since my boy only lived approximately fifteen minutes away from the school, so I had to utilize every second that I have.

“It’s fine,” he answered monotonously.  “I got accepted into NYU, so I’m actually pretty psyched about that.  They have a nice art program…”

NYU? The NYU that’s all the way across the country in New York City? I should’ve known that I’d have problems with my Baby being so perfect.  Obviously his looks and kind personality had attracted the likes of pests like Trevor, who had only stolen his time away from me: his Daddy.  And then his high intelligence was going to take him hundreds of miles away from me!  I began to panic in the small car, my breathing speeding up as my inner wolf and I tried to figure things out.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen!

I finally find my mate after thirty years of being single, and he’s in a relationship and has plans to leave me and go to the other coast.  I haven’t even marked him yet, I haven’t even knotted him yet.  The only way other werewolves know that Nicky’s mine is by my scent that covers him, but that’s meaningless when compared to the others!  I was so screwed.  My mate can’t leave me, not when I’ve come this far.

_Take Mate_ , my wolf suggested.

I froze, glancing at the oblivious angel who kept talking about college and his plans for the future that he foolishly didn’t think involved me.  He’s wrong.

_Just take Mate.  He’s in the car now, so keep driving and do not let him leave._

O-okay.  I’ll do it.  I’ll steal my mate away.  I don’t know where we’ll go or how I’ll support us when we get there, but I’ll figure it out on the way.  All that matters is that Nicky is right beside me where he belongs, and now that I finally have him all to myself, there’s no way I’m ever letting him go.

“Mr. Fischer, you missed the turn back there…”

I’ve frequently overheard Nicky reminiscing about beach trips that he’d taken with his parents, so I knew that wherever we went, it’d be near the ocean.  I don’t have a lot of money saved up since I’m a teacher, but maybe I can find some abandoned cabin in the Redwoods in the meantime.  Sure it’s not the castle that my Baby deserves, but with his Daddy being a werewolf, it’ll be an extremely safe place where I can hunt for him and protect him from any danger.

“Mr. Fischer? You missed the turn.”

Tonight, however, We’ll stop at a motel somewhere off the highway where we’ll spend our first night together.  I’ll mark him as mine and knot him, spending the entire night with my cock up his tight ass.  He’ll be screaming out, “Daddy!” as I pound his little hole that’s just for me— I’ll be the best and biggest that he’s ever had.  From then on, every night that we spend together, he’ll rest in my arms and use my chest as his pillow, and I’ll hold him as tightly as possible without hurting him, making sure that he’s still there when I wake up.  I can’t wait.

“Why— um, why are we getting on the freeway?”

I cannot wait until we begin our lives together.  Each and every single day, I swear I’ll prove myself to Nicky, showing that I can be the man he deserves.  I’ll worship the ground that he walks on and do absolutely anything he asks me to.  Anything he wants, I’ll find a way to give it to him.  Anything he needs, I’ll gather it up and present it to him.  All my Baby has to do is ask, and Daddy will give it to him.  I’ll do everything in my power to make him happy.  And soon, he’ll be Nicholas Fischer, and I’ll save up to buy him the largest diamond ring that money can buy with a gorgeous rock that glimmers whenever the sunbeams stroke it.

“Mr. Fischer, I want out!  Let me out of the car!”

And of course, there’s no way I’ll allow anyone to take my Baby away from me.  I swear that from here on out, I’ll guard him with my life and eliminate any threat that’s stupid enough to rear its ugly head.  Nicky is mine, and that will never change.  He will always be mine and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that he stays right by my side where he belongs.  If staying rogue is the way to go, then I’ll find a way to protect my mate when it’s just me by myself.  If having a pack is more beneficial, then I’ll find an alpha who will except me even with my red eyes.  All that matters is that each and every morning, Nicky is safe in my arms; then each and every night, he’s right back in his spot.

“Mr. Fischer!” Nicky screamed, his voice going hoarse and his face pale with fright.

“No,” I growled, wrapping my arm around his frigid shoulders, tugging him into my body.   “Don’t call me Mr. Fischer.”  I pressed my lips against my angel’s smooth skin, my body tingling as soon as we touched.  “Call me ‘Daddy’.” 

**☆￣(＞。☆)**

Fuck…

Everything hurt so bad.  My head was throbbing and my entire body felt as if it were flattened, each muscle screaming out in searing pain.  There was a loud, earsplitting shriek raining out in my ears, making me wince as I tried to calm my headache.  The last thing I remembered was flooring the gas pedal, speeding down the highway with my Baby in the car with me so that we could begin our lives together as soon as possible.  My poor Nicky had been scared, most likely because he wasn’t used to change, and had acted out.

Once we’d reached the California border, he’d leaned back and jammed his foot up the side of my face.  I’d lost control of the car, and…

“Baby!” I screamed, immediately sitting up in my seat in the totaled car.  As soon as I lifted my head up from the steering wheel, the horn stopped blaring, my headache getting slightly better.  It was dark outside and the front of the car was smashed inwards, making it look like a closed accordion.  Shattered glass from the windshield was inside the car, some of the lower branches from the tree I’d crashed into sticking in.

My eyes honed in on my Baby in the passenger seat, my breathing stopping as soon as I saw the large gash on his forehead, his blood gushing out and covering his entire body in the red substance.  His eyes were closed and his breathing was really low and wheezy… oh God!  My Baby!

“N-Nicky!” I whimpered, reaching over and giving his limp body a little shake.  “Baby, please!  Wake up!”

Nicky didn’t stir, his body slumping over lifelessly as I moved him.

_Mate!  Mate’s hurt!  Save him!_ my inner wolf cried, scratching at the surface to be unleashed, but he and I really had no clue what to do.

My mate was injured and needed my help.  Every instinct that I opened yelled at me to protect him, wanting to make sure that he received the help that he needs.  Without any strain at all, I used my sharp teeth to bite off my seatbelt and Nicky’s.  I managed to tear my door off, wincing as I moved my sore body around the other side to my Baby, tearing his door off the hinges as well in my panic.  In one fluid movement, I lifted him and cradled his broken body up to my chest.

My mate was hurt, and it was all my fault.  I had to get him to a hospital, but the roads were empty and I had no clue where my phone was in that mess of a car… it’d be next to impossible to find it in all of the debris.

_Save Mate!_ my wolf demanded, fearing the worst as warm blood continued to pool out from Nicky’s head.  He was so light and didn’t move a muscle at all as I held him, his body limp and still like a doll’s.  And his skin was so pale, all of the color draining from his beautiful face, sending an earthquake of fear throughout my body.  I-I had to do something in order to help him.

My car was totaled, my phone was lost, and there were no other cars on the road…

My broken Baby in my arms, I threw back my head and unleashed a loud howl that rattled my entire body.  If there was a werewolf pack in the area, then they’d be alerted to my situation and come to investigate.  I howled over and over, my throat getting sore as I desperately called out for help, keeping Nicky’s unconscious body close to me.

This can’t be happening.  I finally get my Baby, and then I crash the car— I’m such a fucking loser!  I love Nicky with all of my heart, I can’t lose him!  I’ll give my bones and blood for him to be okay, I have to save him!  My entire body was wrecked with guilt as it became increasingly obvious that this was all my fault… I should’ve tried to court my mate the nice, traditional way.  Trevor was already out of the way, but no.  I had to go and steal him away, making things worse.  My mate was hurt, and I had no one to blame except for myself.  If Nicky makes it through this, then I swear that I’ll make it up to him.  I swear I will.

I lost it.

I fell to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably as I held Nicky to my shaking body.  “I’m so sorry, Baby,” I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks like crazy, landing on Nicky’s bloody face.  “Oh Baby, please come back to me.  Please don’t go.”

A deep howl echoed out from nearby, sounding like it was coming from the forest.  A wolf!

Sniffling, I unleashed another howl of my own, my pleading tone indicating that I was in trouble and needed help.  I had to suppress my territorial instincts that told me to keep my mate away from any other werewolves since he hasn’t been knotted yet.  The familiar and inappropriate jealousy bubbled up in my gut, and before I knew it, I had my mouth over Nicky’s left shoulder, biting down hard.  That coppery sweetness pooled in my mouth, and I disgustingly swished it around, moaning at both the sensation of marking my boy and the taste of blood.

“Mine,” I panted, pulling back and lapping at the bite mark that was now on Nicky’s shoulder— a mark that would let any other werewolf know that he’s off limits.

Out from the tree line, two wolves stalked out: an alpha and a beta.  After taking one look at the bloodied child in my arms, they phased into their human forms, the alpha nodding towards his beta.

“Call an ambulance,” he ordered in his authoritative voice.

“Yes, Alpha,” his beta said, pulling out his cell phone from the bundle of clothes that were tied to his leg with a drawstring. 

My inner wolf refused to feel relief, his concentration not breaking away from my Baby for even a second.  It took me a moment to realize that I’d been baring my teeth towards the two helpful wolves, and I blushed apologetically.  I knew deep down that I needed to be grateful towards the Alpha for extending his help towards a rogue and his mate.  Therefore, I had to be on my best behavior while in this territory.

**｡：ﾟ(｡ﾉω＼｡)ﾟ･｡**

Two weeks.

For two whole weeks, my Nicky lied in a hospital bed, needles and tubes sticking into him as machines helped to keep him alive.  For an entire three-hundred thirty-six hours, I remained perched by his side, acting as his guard dog as I refused to take my eyes off of him for even a second.  The doctors had told me that Nicky had sustained major head trauma in the car crash, and that had resulted in him being in a coma for an undetermined time.

To be honest, I was surprised the Alpha of Crescent City didn’t kick me out of his territory upon seeing my eyes.  Instead, as I waited for my Baby to get better, he approached me with a proposition.

“I’m well aware of your… ahem, tendencies,” he said, puffing out his chest as he attempted to intimidate me.  Granted he was both taller and buffer than me, I wasn’t afraid of the guy.  My world was injured in a coma that I had caused, therefore I remained glued to my Nicky’s side, my hand firmly latched in his.  If the Alpha wanted a confrontation, then he’d have to wait.

“Can I just wait for my mate to recover before I leave?” I pathetically asked, my voice nothing more than a croak from my lack of sleep.  My inner wolf refused to leave the hospital and even tried to remained awake so that we could guard him.

Alpha shook his head, snickering to himself.  “You don’t get it,” he snorted.  “I’m offering you and your boy admission into the Crescent City Pack as omegas.”  He crossed his arms in front of himself.  “I don’t have to tell you that having a pack will better help you to take care of your mate since we own a complex in which you’d instantly have a room.”

I was silent as I thought it over.  My last pack had tossed me aside like I was garbage to them, not even looking back once to see if I was okay.  The feelings of rejection from the hands of the people I considered to be my family was devastating.  I cannot take heartbreak like that again… I won’t survive it.

_A pack could help us take care of Mate_ , my wolf mentioned, wondering if joining a pack was the best choice for me and Nicky.

“Alpha,” I coughed, squeezing my boy’s hand reassuringly, “before I answer, I need to tell you that I’ve consumed human flesh before.”

“I could tell,” Alpha muttered.  “Your eyes are sick lookin’.”

I snorted.  “And you don’t mind?”

“Well, of course I can’t have you killing people in my territory,” Alpha said.  “But I must admit that there are some benefits to having a pack brother with little to no regard for human life seeing as how the time may come when I’ll have to call on you to utilize your, um, skills.”

…really? This guy was demented, but I sort of liked that.  My inner wolf nodded in agreement and I knew deep down that having a pack would help me to take better care of Nicky.  Plus, if things don’t work out, then I can just go rogue with my boy and we can start anywhere we want, just the two of us.  Plus, I could tell with absolutely certainty that the guy had no clue that I’d stolen Nicky away from his home.  After all, my mate bore my scent and my mark— for all intents and purposes, the alpha probably thought that we’d crashed our car on the way to the movies.

“Okay,” I agreed.  “Thank you, Alpha.”

Alpha nodded before leaving me alone with my precious, fragile mate who was hooked up to all kinds of machines.  

It pissed me off to no fuckin’ end that my boy was forced to rely on some hunk of bolts to take care of him, not me: his Daddy.  I swear that if he makes it out of this, I will do everything in my power to make it up to him.  I’ll be the best Daddy in the world for him.  I’ll worship the ground he walks on, I’ll take care of him night and day, and I’ll knot him only when he’s ready.

I need Nicky.  He has to be okay.  

“Oh Nicky, wake up, Baby.  Please wake up for Daddy,” I choked out, my throat feeling dry as the lump in it took over.  Tears already pushed through my walls and I sat in the chair next to my mate’s bed, gripping onto his cold hand for dear life as I succumbed to sobs of fear and guilt.  It was all my fault that he was in here.  

I know that, and I also know that I don’t deserve him.  Shit, in all honestly, it’d probably be best for him if I just leave and never come back.  I wouldn’t be able to hurt him ever again and he’ll grow up and find a man who will truly take care of him and be the man he needs.

_We can be that man_ , my wolf whimpered.  

No, I don’t think we can.  B-but, we can try.  “Oh Baby,” I sobbed, “please come back to me.  I haven’t even gotten to court you yet.”  My poor Baby never got to have his Daddy take care of him, he never got to feel the love that I have for him, and he never go the chance to wake up in my loving arms each and every morning.  There’s so much that I haven’t gotten to do with my Baby, and it was so unfair.

I know that if I had the chance, just one chance to show Nicky how much I love him, then he would love me back.  We’re soulmates; he has to feel some small, microscopic shred of the pull too, right? I just wish I had a chance, just one chance to show him how great we can be together.  I would do it all differently; I would shower him with praise and kisses and make it known that he’s my entire world.

“Wake up please, Baby,” I begged through my tears.  “I need you.  I love you so much, with all of my heart.”

I just need to hear his voice again, see those beautiful eyes again.  If I have that, then everything will be fine.  If I can see Nicky doing alright just one more time, then I can go and be rogue and leave him alone where he’ll be safe.  It’ll kill me, I know.  But it’s obvious that Nicky hates me, and if I ever did get that second chance, there’s no way he’d ever fall for me.  I ate his boyfriend for fuck’s sake!  I kidnapped him!  I put him into a fucking coma!

But— but I need him.  The thought of living a life without my Baby was painful, even making me grit my teeth as I envisioned it.  Plus, the idea of some other man holding my boy at night, being called “Daddy” by him made my eyes flash red with rage.  

It was all too conflicting.

On the one hand, Nicky needed to safe from harm, even if that includes me… which I’ve proven to be nothing but harmful to him.  However, on the other hand, he’s my mate and I’ll fucking murder anyone who dares tries to take him away from me.

“Oh please, Baby,” I cooed, “if you can hear me, can you please just give me a sign?” To reiterate that he’s mine, I stood up and nuzzled against him, taking in a deep whiff of his scent to make sure that mine was the more dominant.  It was, making my wolf growl with anxious pleasure. 

The machine’s beeping grew louder and much more insistent, snapping me out of my wallowing daze.  My Baby’s heart rate was picking up, and it must’ve been monitored out in the nurses’ station since I overheard the clamoring of multiple footsteps making their way over to the room.  I held my breath, inwardly praying that my angel would wake up and be alright… wait.  If Nicky did wake up, then I seriously doubt that he’ll be happy to see me of all people here.  Oh shit, I really didn’t think this part through.

Nicky groaned, and I could see his eyelids twitching, trying to break open.

The doctor and nurse burst into the hospital room, eying my mate on the bed while simultaneously checking out the heart monitor that was beeping like crazy.  I took several large steps backward, crying out, “He’s conscious!” to them.

Oh, thank God, Nicky was going to be okay.  But that still didn’t make me feel one-hundred percent better.  Obviously I was relieved that my mate was alive and well and would soon be on the mend, and of course I’ll spend the rest of my miserable life trying to make it up to him by being the best Daddy in the world for him.  However, I knew deep down in my gut that there was no way Nicky would want to be with me willingly.

_But… Mate!_ my inner wolf whimpered, knowing that it was true.

“Sir, can you hear me?” the nurse asked him as she and the doctor poked and prodded at my boy, making me stifle a growl.  They’re here to help him, I reminded myself, trying to squash down my territorial instincts that were pissed off that some random strangers were putting their hands on my mate.

“Wh— uh?” I heard the most beautiful voice imaginable cough out, sending a bittersweet shockwave throughout me.  I couldn’t describe how great it felt to know that Nicky was alive and that he would get better.  I’ll be forever grateful for that.  However, I knew without a doubt that he’d be afraid of me the second his eyes land on me, and rightfully so.  I shouldn’t have kidnapped him, I know that it was wrong.  But I was so desperate!  I need my Baby and I cannot stand the thought of being away from him!

We belong together!

Past the medical workers, I saw my angel turn his head to the left, our eyes meeting.  This is it, I thought, Nicky will cry out and tell the doctors what I’ve done, and then I’ll be arrested and forced to spend the rest of my life away from my mate.  This is it.

_We can’t go to prison!_ my inner wolf shouted, slashing at the barriers that held him down.  _We can’t see Mate if we’re locked away!  Tell Mate that we’re sorry!  Make it up to him now!_

Swallowing loudly, I could feel my heart ache at the realization of having my mate hate me brought me.  He’ll want absolutely nothing to do with me, and I will deserved it.  There was no way my precious Baby would let me be his Daddy now, and I knew that it was all my fault.  I tried to open my mouth to apologize, ignoring the ramblings of the doctors and nurses.  All I could focus on were those gorgeous brown eyes that stared back at me, lulling me into a panicked frenzy.  Staring at my Baby, I felt so terrified and relieved, so ecstatic and remorseful.  I love him so much and seeing him is the greatest part of my day— I can’t bear the thought of not seeing him.  

I love Nicky with all of my heart.

“Well,” the doctor announced to the nurse, “we’re going to have to run some tests, but it appears as if the patient has retrograde amnesia.  It’s common for people who’ve been in a coma to have some memory loss upon waking up, so we’ll have to monitor him for a couple of days to make sure.”

_Listen!_ my wolf barked, kicking me mentally to force me to pay attention to the what the doctor had said.

I felt myself straighten up, the color returning to my flesh as I contemplated what the doctor had just said.  Amnesia? Like the stuff from the movies where a person can’t remember their life? “Y-you mean,” I stammered, “h-he doesn’t remember a thing? Like, at all?”

Did that mean that Nicky didn’t remember his parents? He didn’t remember Trevor?

He didn’t remember me or what I’ve done?

The doctor was busy writing down notes on his clipboard that held my Baby’s medical information.  “Not exactly,” he explained.  “He’s been in a coma for the past two weeks, so it’s more than likely that this is just a temporary side effect.  We won’t know for sure until some time has passed.  But in the meantime, try to talk to him to see if you can spark something.”

“Um, I’m not quite sure…”  I began to panic, the idea of Nicky spontaneously recalling my indiscretions putting an icy fear into the back of my mind.

_Stop being selfish and take care of Mate!_ the wolf demanded.

“It would really help get things moving along.  In the meantime, I have to order a CT scan for him now that he’s conscious.”  The doctor and nurse left the room, leaving me alone with my silent Baby.

For what felt like an eternity, neither of us spoke.  Nicky lied in the bed while I stood across from the room, staring at him and trying to study his face for any sign of terror that he may harbor for me.  However, instead of fright or horror, all I could see on his face was utter confusion.  He narrowed his brown orbs at me, trying to examine my form, and I found myself unconsciously puffing out my chest so that I could look bigger and stronger for him.

“Um, Baby?” I asked, running a hand through my hair nervously.  “D-do you remember me at all?”

The longer he studied me, the redder his face grew as he struggled to recall a single memory of me.  “N-no.  I c-can’t remember anything,” he frowned.

Okay, okay, this was good.  I’ve been given a second chance!  Nicky didn’t remember me at all!  He had no idea that I was the sicko who kidnapped him nor did he seem to have any recollection of Trevor!  This was the best news that I could have ever received in my life!  I can now start over and do things right.  I can drive Nicky back to Portland and court him the normal way, buying him flowers and candy while showing him that I can be the Daddy that he deserves.  I’ll take such good care of him and overtime, he’ll fall in love with me and we’ll spend the rest of our lives together.  It’s only a matter of time until my dreams come true and he’s no longer Nicholas Hwang, but is Nicholas Fischer.

_Why wait?_ the wolf whispered.  _Think about it…_

My inner wolf willed mental images to flicker through my mind: picturesque views of Nicky resting in my arms after an entire night of making love, Nicky on my back as I ran through the forest in my wolf form, Nicky calling me “Daddy” as he sat on my lap.

_That can happen now…_

I wanted those so badly, I craved to have Nicky as all mine.

Before a second thought, I blurted out, “I’m Patrick.  I’m your husband.”  I sprinted forward, closing the distance between us as I wrapped my Baby in my arms, refusing to let him go.  I know it’s wrong, but I don’t give a shit.  Nicky is mine and I will be the best Daddy in the world for him.

As far as he’s concerned, he’s all mine.

**(/^.^(^.^*) >**  
****

I couldn’t believe my luck!

My precious Nicky woke up and when he did, he had no clue who I was at all.  The wheels in my brain began to turn, and I realized that this could work out to my benefit, and before I knew it, I was introducing myself as Nicky’s husband.

From then, I took the ball running.  I set up our small apartment in the pack’s complex, going so far as to make it look like two people were living there instead of no one or just me.  Being an art teacher, I was actually rather skilled at using Photoshop which helped me to create wedding pictures to put into a fake album in case my Baby wanted proof of our marriage.  The photos were absolutely beautiful, and I told myself that one day we’d have real photos when we “Renew” our vows, hehe.  I was also really good at thinking on my feet, coming up with completely new and made-up backstories for me and Nicky, that way he wouldn’t be able to look something up online and find out that I was lying to him.

It was perfect!

And sure he’d been afraid of me when I revealed my werewolf status to him.  All humans are afraid of the Big Bad Wolf when they first meet him, and rightfully so; because to most, he’s a monster who won’t hesitate to digest them.  However, to his mate, he’s their loyal companion who will love and protect them for the rest of their lives.

Alpha was far too busy courting his own fuckin’ son in order to realize what was going on, and none of the other human mates were smart enough to question things.  They’d mainly aww’d and gushed about how mine and Nicky’s situation was like some Channing Tatum movie— who the hell was that anyway?

“I love you, my sweet Baby,” I whispered into Nicky’s ears as I spooned him from behind in our bed after fucking in every other room in the apartment, my knot still firmly lodged into his tight ass.  I came several times, my cum seeping into his body, marking him as mine officially.  All mine.  Nicky is all mine and now there’s nothing that can separate us.

There’s no more Trevor.  My Baby bears my mark on his shoulder.  I knotted my Baby, tying him to me in the deepest form of werewolf intimacy.  He thinks we’re married and he has no idea that in reality, I’m some kind of monster who snatched him up from school one day.

And he never will know.

“I love you too, Daddy,” Nicky panted, still out of breath from the vigorous fucking I gave him.

My inner wolf howled in satisfaction.  _Mate is all ours!_ he cheered, jumping underneath my skin in joy.

“Yeah,” I growled, “you’re all Daddy’s, aren’t you? Say it!”  I jerked my hips roughly to the side, making my knot tug at my Baby’s hole, eliciting a loud moan from him on command.

“All yours!” he gasped, breathing loudly.  “I’m all yours, Daddy!”

“Good boy,” I purred, nuzzling my Baby so that even more of my scent stuck to him.  There would no question as to who he belongs to now.

Of course I fear the day that might come when Nicky gets all of his memories back.  A part of me is stupidly hopeful, thinking that perhaps he’ll forgive me and stay considering I made him fall in love with me.  However, I’m fairly sure that he’ll hate me.  Yeah, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll be pissed off that I stole him away from his life and ate his boyfriend.  But whatever.

_If Mate remembers, then steal him again_ , my inner wolf suggested.

Yep, that’s the plan.  If Nicky’s memory ever does come back, then I have a small savings stashed away that I can use to buy a small secluded place somewhere far from here.  I’ll just have to take my Baby there until I’m positive that he won’t try to leave me.  I love him, and after all, I’ve done everything listed in the werewolf code on how to claim a mate.

Nicky bears my mark and I knotted him; in the eyes of werewolf law, he’s mine and no one can take him away from me.

“I love you so, so much, Baby,” I whispered into Nicky’s ear, feeling his body start to go lax with sleep.  “You know that, right?”

“Yes, Daddy,” he yawned, snuggling closer to me, making me smile like a goofball.

“And,” I pressed, bucking my hips forward to shove my knot even deeper into my boy, “you promise that you’ll be all mine forever, right? You’ll never, ever leave Daddy, will you Baby?”

“What?” Nicky sleepily asked, turning to glance at me from over his shoulder.  “Is everything alright with you?”

“Just promise me that, please,” I begged.  “Please, Daddy just needs to hear it.”

“Um, okay? I promise I won’t ever leave you, Daddy.  I’m all yours forever.”

“That’s right,” I growled, “you’re all Daddy’s.  Forever and ever.”  Nicky’s my Baby and I’ll make sure to do everything in my power to keep it that way.

And if anyone is stupid enough to even consider taking my Baby away from his Daddy… well, then they can say “Hi” to Trevor for me.  Nicky is mine, all mine and no one else’s.  Forever and ever and ever and ever…  

Because, in order to keep my Baby by my side where he belongs, I’m not afraid to sink to those dark depths of my character, performing unspeakable atrocities that many may frown upon, but in the end ensure that I wake up with the love of my life in my arms every morning.  

To reiterate: For Nicky, I’ll do anything.


	26. Like a Virgin

“Like a Virgin” - Madonna

_Your love thawed out / What was scared and cold / Like a virgin, hey / Touched for the very first time / Like a virgin / With your heartbeat next to mine_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

When I was a teenager… well, at seventeen, I suppose I still am a teenager.  When I was a younger teenager, before I’d had sex with Vincent, I’d used to believe that there was some kind of sacred quality to actually doing the dance with no pants.  It was weird though.  Obviously I’d thought that holding hands and kissing in a relationship were huge milestones to commemorate, however, there was something about having another human being enter my body that appeared to carry some sort of emotional/spiritual weight.  Sometimes, I’m under the impression that not enough people think of intercourse as such; a majority of people tend to subscribe to the evolutionist biology standpoint of sex (it feels good, so do it).  
 ****

When I’d had sex with Vincent, there was some sort of sinking feeling in the middle of my chest the entire time we went at it.  At the time, I’d thought that it was just my nerves and the fact that he’d gone in completely dry, resulting me gritting my teeth the whole way through as I attempted not to cry out in excruciating pain.  But now that I’m a few months older… wiser, I don’t think that’s the truth.  In all honesty, at the risk of sounding like I’m trying too hard to be all philosophical, I think the real reason why it hadn’t felt right with Vincent at the time was because it wasn’t right.  Period.

And no, it wasn’t because of the fact that I hadn’t been mentally prepped (or physically) or that I hadn’t had any experience in sex beforehand— no.  A small shred of myself truly believes that it hadn’t felt right because I’d done it with the wrong person.

I shouldn’t have lost my virginity to Vincent.  Preferably, I would’ve saved it for Daddy.

My present self was smirking satisfyingly at my past self who used to curse up and down that I’d never be within ten feet of Paul, and yet, we were now in one of his pack brother’s cars speeding down the road to Crescent City… and my pants had been left behind in the H&M fitting room.  The entire mall had gotten a glimpse of my boxer briefs… I cannot return there, ever.

I know that the rational thing to do would have been to try to date Daddy and build up a relationship that way.  However, it was obvious that he wasn’t into the conventional sorts, therefore why bother? Whenever I thought about it, there was no one else on Earth who I trusted more than Daddy.  He’d saved me from the vampire, he’d put down things in his life just to make sure that I was okay.  The man was literally always by my side, allowing me to feel… safe.

Unfortunately, “Safety” was such a foreign feeling to me, whether it be emotionally or physically.  I wasn’t used to it, but I liked it.  Even now as we were cramped together in the tiny car on our way back to the apartment complex, I rested my head down onto Daddy’s broad shoulder, the werewolf smiling widely at the physical contact.

“My Baby’s a little eager, huh?” he grinned, glancing down at me excitedly, a bulge growing larger in his jeans.

I was still way too shy to comment on that, so I just nodded, still feeling my face burn with pleasurable shame.

“So,” Daddy clicked his tongue, “I gotta ask: Why now? I mean, what made you change your mind? I’m not complaining, I’m just curious.”

I don’t like to be put on the spot like this, but I suppose that it would be the right thing to do given that Daddy was about to share his body with me.  That was such an odd thing to consider.  My insides and my brain both told me that allowing the werewolf to knot me was the best idea in the world, that it would both guarantee me life safety and companionship.  To be honest, given all of my life’s recent events, there was no one else I’d rather have either of those with than my Daddy.

“Because,” I slurred, trying to come up with a way to voice what I felt without sounding like a spazz, “I trust you.”

The werewolf tensed up and the steering wheel groaned as he tighten his grip on it.  “Oh?” he coughed.  “You trust Daddy?”

I nodded.  “Yeah, of course.”  He might have kept the whole reason for him following me around Crescent City a secret at first, driving me crazy to no end, but how else was he supposed to tell me that he’s a werewolf and that I’m his mate? That’s completely understandable.  To add to my argument, Daddy hasn’t lied to me about a single thing and he’s never harmed me in any way.  With those (especially that last fact) he was already the greatest man in my book.

Daddy bit down on his lower lip, the car slowing down the smallest bit.  I noticed that we’d just passed into Crescent City’s city limits, meaning that we were really close to the apartment.  I refused to dwell too much on the fact that I was about to get knotted but an alpha werewolf.  If I concentrated too much on it, then I might psyche myself out and be forever a chicken.

_You don’t wanna think about it even little bit?_ the voice in the back of my head mocked.  _Just imagine us pinned underneath Daddy’s bulky body as he completely dominates us…_

Yeah, that is kind of hot.

Oh man, I can’t believe that this is finally going to happen!  I was so excited.  I was nervous.  I was scared, I was self-conscious, I was apprehensive, I was horny.  So many emotions filtered through my mind all at once, but none of them made me want to call the whole thing off.  As I’d stated earlier, there was something magical about having sex with another person.  In my mind, it forged a certain kind of bond that truly emphasized the trust one had with another.  It takes a lot of trust in order to willingly be that vulnerable in front of another person/werewolf.

And… I wasn’t afraid of that vulnerability with Daddy because I knew for a fact that he wouldn’t hurt me and that he’d take care of me.  

Because he’s in love with me.

Daddy pulled up in front of the apartment complex.  Since it was still the middle of the day, the sun was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds and the parking lot was mostly empty since the pack members were at work probably.  At least none of them would be able to employ their super canine hearing in order to listen in on me getting absolutely destroyed from Daddy’s monster penis.

I mean, sex with Vincent had been extremely painful; and Daddy was much, much large than him.  Therefore, it didn’t take a genius to know that sex with Daddy would be even more painful.  I just hope the pain doesn’t make me black out or cry like a baby.  There’s no way I could live either of those down.

Hesitantly, Paul ran a hand through his black hair as he parked the car and turned it off.  Something was off because I’d literally just invited Daddy to knot me (something that I’m fairly sure he’d wanted— I hope I’m not wrong), and instead of acting puppy-like and jumping up and down with excitement, he was almost solemnly silent.  As we walked up the steps to his apartment, his forehead was wrinkled as he was deep in thought and his jaw was clenched tightly.  The only shred of solace that I could see was that his boner snaked down his left pant leg as he moved.

“I-is everything alright?” I asked him as I entered the apartment and took an awkward seat on the couch, folding my hands in my lap as I nervously waited.

Daddy nodded, doing both the bolt and chain on the front door.  “Y-yeah,” he stammered, that pink hue on his face growing larger.  “It’s just, um, I think that we should have a little chat before I knot you.”

Oh? Perhaps he was just as nervous as I was?

I mean, despite how horny and antsy I was as I awaited Daddy’s cock (Wow, I never thought I’d say that…), there was a rather large portion of my brain that was a tad bit apprehensive about the entire situation.  For the trillionth time, nightmares of sex with Vincent flickered through my mind, illustrating each and every excruciating pain that my nerve endings witnessed.  Of course logic mandated that the same exact thing wouldn’t occur with Daddy because that man actually loved me and would take care of my body in a gentle and tender manner— I doubt he’ll be a selfish lover.  Still, my ex-boyfriend had certainly left a stain on my confidence, and poor Daddy had his work cut out for him as he was faced with the task of cleaning it up.

In some odd sense, I truly believed that I needed to have sex with Daddy.  Don’t laugh too much at me, but my mind rationalized it by saying that Daddy’s cum was some kind of bleach that would eliminate every last trace of Vincent that was lingering inside of me.  That man would help cleanse and replenish me, potentially saving me from my own low self-esteem… with his penis.  Man, talk about a superpower.

Therefore, despite how anxious Daddy and I were, I needed to make sure that he knots me today.  I need to step up my game… however I do that.

Crud, how do I act/look sexy? I’ve seen plenty of movies in which characters easily seduce others just with a look or by maneuvering their body in a suggestive manner.  I suppose it’s time for me to employ what I’ve learned from my studies.

I leaned back on the couch, crossing my legs in front of me, making sure that my own bulge was prominently on display as it was contained within my boxer briefs.

Daddy noticed, swallowing loudly as his yellow eyes honed in on it.  “Uh, I-I think that we should really talk first,” he stuttered, tugging at his shirt collar for some air.  

“Oh, I agree,” I said, trying to think up ways to talk sexy.  I’d failed at phone sex with Daddy the other night, but I can make a gradual comeback.  “Like, um… should you be on top, or should I?” Yeah, that sounded hot and suggestive.  Go me!

Daddy froze in his spot near the front door, his eyes going wide as dinner plates.  His cock visibly twitched as it was contained within its denim prison.  “Baby,” he growled, “I believe Daddy already told you before: Daddy’s always on top.  And no, that’s not what I’m trying to talk about.  There’s something really important that I need you to understand before we do this.”

Oh, I get it.  Daddy wants to make sure that I fully comprehend the ramifications of knotting.  From what I understood, it was an immense bonding activity that tied a wolf to his or her mate for life.  The way it sounded seemed as if knotting was the last step in Werewolf Courting 101, or it was classifiable as Graduation.

I’m not foolish.  If Daddy knots me, then obviously he’ll become even more territorial and protective of me.  I’ll admit it, I’d been extremely annoyed to point of wanting to disappear when I’d first met Paul and he’d been all like, “You’re mine and no one else’s, blah blah blah.  And I’ma werewoof!  Bark!  Bark!”  Okay, so he might not have said that verbatim, but it was close.  Anyways, my point was that tastes change overtime.  What was once an aneurism-inducing pain in my butt, was now something more along the lines of reassuring and sweet.  It was totally heartwarming to know that I had the muscled-up alpha of a werewolf pack completely devoted to me and only me.

Plus, like I’d said before, I trust Daddy more than anyone else.

“I trust you, Daddy,” I stated point-blankly.

The man plopped down onto the sofa right next to me, holding his face in his large hands.  “Boy, you are not making this easy for me,” he groaned.  “Seriously, I need to explain this to you before I knot you, because if you find out afterwards, then I highly doubt you’ll be happy with me…”

What was he talking about? Apparently there was something that was bothering the man that he felt that I should’ve been privy to before we have sex.  Lycanthropy isn’t an STD, right? That’s the only scenario that I could come up with at the moment.  Still, I could see my window of opportunity slipping away, so I decided to step it up some more.

I leaned forward and placed a soft hand onto Daddy’s large bicep, nearly losing my mind over how big and hard it felt.  “You can tell me anything you want,” I said, trying to use a sultry voice, but it came out like I was out of breath.  “And no matter what it is, I’ll still think of you as my big, strong Daddy.”

I could feel the older man tense up underneath my hand, his legs bouncing the smallest bit.  “Fuck,” he hissed to himself, leaning up and literally ripping his shirt off of him… the poor fabric.  “It’s gettin’ way too hot in here.  And Baby, as much as I appreciate you sayin’ that, I need to tell you something real important: I’m your dad.”

“I know you’re my Daddy,” I chuckled.  He’s been telling me that for quite a while now.  It’s been drilled into my skull, tattooed on my forehead: _Paul Martinez is My Daddy._

“Oh God…” the man groaned, rubbing at his temples.

Maybe he was chickening out.  Man, that would be my luck.  After a long time of thwarting off his advances, the one time I’m actually down and eager to do the dang deed, he wasn’t in the mood.  Maybe I’m not sexy, but I am intelligent.  After all, I am an honor student and I like to consider myself quite adept at knowing people.  It’s like a game of chess— I have to know my opponent inside and out, and be aware of how they would react during certain situations.

And what do I know about Daddy, like what’s the number one quality of his that instantly pops into mind?

Daddy is very, VERY possessive of me.

“Well, then,” I mock-frowned, but I could feel my facial muscles wanting to smile as I formed my diabolical scheme to get Daddy’s dick… wow, I’m kind of freaky.

_You’re evil too_ , that voice said in my head after he saw my plan.  _But yep, that should work._

“Daddy, it’s okay if you don’t wanna knot me,” I told the man, my finger trailing down his arm, leaving him breaking out in goosebumps.  “I suppose I can always, *gulp, find someone else to do it.”

There was a pregnant silence, and I could feel the man beside me flinch and then start to shake violently.

_Yeah, maybe that wasn’t the best idea_ , the voice whimpered like a puppy.

A deep, possessive growl erupted from Daddy’s chest and he whipped his furious head over to stare me down with his intense yellow eyes.  His fangs were bared and in a flash, he tossed me over his broad shoulder and carried me into the bedroom.  Because the windows were still blacked out from last night, the bedroom was rather dark, making it difficult to see anything beyond five feet.  However, I had absolutely no problem seeing Daddy’s pissed off expression.

“You…are…MINE!” Daddy roared, his rough hands ripping my remaining clothes off of me in a heated frenzy, leaving me completely bare and exposed to him.  Dang, so my plan worked.

The cool air in the bedroom made my flesh tingle and the hairs stand up off of my skin.  As Daddy ran his large, calloused hands over me, his touch seemed to leave a tingle of electricity on my skin, making me tremble.

“Each and every part of you is all Daddy’s,” he snarled, his voice hard and insistent.  He was so close to me that I could feel his dominating breath wash over me.  

I was tossed down onto the hard mattress, lying flat on my back.  The bed shifted as I felt Daddy crawl onto it, his weight making me shift with his movements.  For the moment, I was frozen in shock.  This was really happening!  I was legitimately about to have sex with a werewolf alpha!  Dang, I never thought that’d ever occur in my lifetime.

I flinched when I felt Daddy’s tongue beginning to travel up my legs as he lapped at every inch of my skin.  “These are mine,” he grunted, taking care to nuzzle his stubbled cheek along them, scenting me as he made his way up my body.

Something inside of my body seemed to wind up as I felt the older man claim me.  It was a tightness in my chest that seemed to grow stronger, almost making me short of breath, especially when I began to get rock hard at the touch of Daddy’s lips on my skin.  Whenever he kissed at me, he left sparse traces of saliva on me, and the air cooled them off— leaving me in a squirming sensation of hot and cold.

“And these are mine, too,” Daddy whispered as he reached my thighs, nipping at them with his fangs.

Instinctively, I yelped and even covered up my junk with my shaking hands.  Of course I’m all down for Daddy, but those stupid mental walls still existed, making me a little anxious, albeit excited.

“No, no, Baby,” Daddy tsked, biting down a bit harder on the inside of my thigh— not hard enough to cause bruising or bleeding, but enough to make me retract my hands.  He traveled up further, his tongue flicking out at my cock head, making me moan out loud.  “This is especially all mine.  And as your Daddy, I get to play with it whenever I want.”

“O-okay,” I panted, even foolishly nodding as if the guy could see me do so in the dark.  Well, he does have those powerful canine senses, so I’m fairly certain that he could tell.

“I need you tell you something, Baby,” Daddy cooed as he lapped at my cock, toying with me and making my back arch.  “Daddy doesn’t like to be teased.  So I suppose now I really do have to knot you in order to show you just who you belong to, got it?”

“Y-yes, Daddy,” I breathed, feeling an oh-so satisfactory smile forming on my lips.

“Good boy,” he growled, and I heard him lick at his fingers.  What the—?

I gasped when I felt his index finger circling around my hole, toying with me and making me tense up.  “Wh-what are you doing?” I panted, unfamiliar with the stirring feelings that I felt in both my stomach and my groin.

I heard the alpha chuckle.  “I thought you said you weren’t a virgin,” he teased, slowly beginning to slide his thick finger inside of me, making me yelp in shock.  “Daddy has to stretch you out so that it’s enjoyable for the both of us.  I don’t mean to brag, but I’m kinda larger than your average wolf.”

Stretch me out? “Huh?” I wondered aloud, squirming as Daddy moved his finger around inside of me.

“Well, I’ve never really measured myself, but I’m fairly sure I’m on the bigger side of the spectrum… w-was your first bigger than me?” His eyes narrowed and he began to insert his middle finger into me as well, making me groan and roll my head back in ecstasy.  This felt so good…

“N-no,” I panted.  “Y-you’re the biggest I’ve ever had.”

“I’m also the best you’ll ever have,” Daddy smirked, pumping his hand back and forth, stretching me out and making me feel so good… it was such an unknown feeling, being sexually stimulated by another person.  Of course I’ve masturbated before, and it’s fun, like really fun— however, it was becoming increasingly clear that I most likely will never get off by myself ever again now that Daddy’s in my life.

So far, yes, Daddy was the best I’ve ever had.  Holy moly, my skin felt as if it were on fire, a small sweat already breaking out on my forehead as I writhed under the man’s steaming touch.

“Ready for another finger?” Daddy asked, his own cock already sticking straight out into the air.

“Mm-hmm,” I hummed, closing my eyes as I basked in the sexual euphoria that the man gave me.

Again, Daddy nipped at my thighs with his sharp teeth.  “No, Baby,” he growled, his deep voice even vibrating the bed that we were on.  “That’s not how you say it…”

Oh yeah.  “Y-yes, Daddy,” I corrected myself, even feeling myself blush at my indiscretion.  

“That’s my good boy,” Daddy purred as I felt a third finger make its way inside of me, making me gasp out as I tried to brace myself for that full feeling.  I was shocked to discover that there was zero pain felt whatsoever as Daddy stretched me out, making me feel relieved that I allowed this man to claim me as his.

This is the right thing to do, I told myself.  Daddy will take care of me.

_…with his massive monster cock!_ that annoying voice added.

I moaned as Daddy continued to pump and work his fingers inside of my hole, gradually prepping my body for him.  As he did so, his free hand continued to travel all over my body, feeling up every crevice of what he claimed to be his… and shoot— why deny it? I am his.

The man’s simple touch lit a fire on top of my skin, burning away any hesitation or inhibition that I owned.  I completely transformed into putty from his hands, finding myself unable to prevent moans from escaping my lips or from squirming when he worked his fingers inside of me.

“You’re almost ready for Daddy’s cock,” he smirked, licking his lips hungrily as he stared down at me.  “But first… you gotta beg Daddy.”

…really? Oh well.

“Pl-please Daddy,” I whimpered when I felt his fingers slide out of me, leaving my insides with an unsettling empty sensation.

“‘Please’ what?” he teased, crawling further up the bed and straightening up so that he was perfectly positioned at my rear.  Very slowly, as if to send me into anxious overdrive, he lifted each one of my legs, setting them on either one of his broad shoulders.  The man’s muscular chest was already coated with a thin layer of glistening sweat from the heat he felt at seeing me squirm at his hot touch.

Oh goodness, I’ll really have to get over my shyness right now in this very moment.  “Pl-please,” I repeated, “please give me your cock, Daddy.  Knot me, please!”

“Only if you promise Daddy one thing, Baby,” the man growled deeply and I felt him position his cock so that the head rested right at my hole, its heat making me tighten my ass cheeks in unconscious response.  “If I knot you, then you need to promise that you’ll be Daddy’s forever, no matter what.”

To be honest, that didn’t seem like a problem whatsoever.  Like I’d mentioned hundreds of time before, I trusted Daddy more than anyone in the world.  If there ever comes a time in which I’m forced to call on only one person to come help me out, then without a doubt, I’ll be shouting out for my Daddy.  When it really came down to it, I do believe that that response does warrant some sort of high intensity affection for the man on my part.

_You love Daddy, just admit it_ , the voice mocked.

I really do like him, he is a great man.  “O-okay,” I whispered.  “I promise, Daddy.  I’ll be yours forever.”

The faint light that filtered in through the window illuminated Daddy’s sharp smile that overtook his joyful face.  “Good,” he grinned, tightly grabbing onto my hips and yanking me closer to him, his cock head nesting right against my hole.  Real quick, he reached over and opened up the drawer on his nightstand, grabbing something out of it.

I cocked my eyebrow at him as he opened up some kind of obscure container, squirting something into his hand which he immediately began to rub on his hard dick.

“Lube,” he answered as soon as he saw my puzzled expression.  “It’ll help me slide in and lessen any drag that could cause pain to my Baby.”  The way he explained made it seem as if he were confused as to why I’d been baffled by his actions, a hint of anger detectable in his voice.

The slicking and squishy noises of him applying lubricant to his cock sounded out in the tiny room before he tossed the bottle over to the floor in an impatient huff.  Again, his hands returned to my hips, feeling smooth and slick, as if they were coated in a slimy goo.

“Ready?” he growled, his yellow eyes glowing brightly in the dim room.

Okay… this is it.  In a couple of seconds, I’ll be knotted by a werewolf and officially seal my fate as his mate.  Was that what I really wanted? Again, I could relay some spiel about how Daddy was the number one most trustworthy man in my existence, but also he seemed to be the nicest guy I’ve ever come into contact with… truthfully.  Jonathan was a jerk, hands down— there’s really no other way to describe him.  Vincent had been a terrible boyfriend and I feel sorry for any future relationship that he has.  When it came down to it, Paul had really been the one to show me that not all people are out there to hurt me.

And that safety was such a precious and exotic sensation that I desperately craved it twenty-four/seven.

“Yes, Daddy,” I mouthed, barely audible to even me.  “I’m ready.”

The Alpha’s smirk grew, his fangs on full display as he slowly inched his pelvis forward, sliding the head of his monster cock into my still-tight hole.

Dang!  The stretching he’d done had almost proved futile as I gasped at the sheer expanse of his cock as he entered me.  He was enormous!  I have no other way of describing it.  It was as if I’d sat on a baseball bat, each and every available space in my hole was being occupied by Daddy… but it didn’t hurt.

“Oh fudge,” I moaned, my eyes rolling to the back of my head at the unfamiliar pleasure that assaulted my bottom.  My own cock was at full mast now and I gripped tightly at the bed sheets beneath me as Daddy slid inside of me, little by little.  He would pause every now and then, waiting for my body to adjust to him.  It was magical.  I-I wish that I would’ve watched or read more porn so that I’d have the vernacular to describe all of the emotions and tingling that I experienced from having the werewolf enter me.  Suffice it to say, it felt so good.  

So good that the only phrase that came to mind was: Hot Dayum!

“You’re so tight, Baby,” Daddy growled, his voice sounding ragged as his breathing sped up.  “You feel so good on Daddy’s cock.  You like the feeling of your dad inside— um, your _Daddy_ inside of you, don’t ya?”

I’m fairly sure that if I spoke, my voice would’ve been all raspy from the panting that I was doing.  My skin felt as if it were in molten lava from Daddy’s touch with every hair standing up straight as my flesh erupted into goosebumps.  His rough hands traveled up to my chest, pinching one of my nipples lightly, not hard but enough to make me wiggle.

“Answer me, Baby,” he tsked, pulling out slightly.

“W-wait!” I cried, not wanting this euphoria to end.  “I n-need your cock inside me, Daddy!  It feels so good!”  As expected, my voice cracked from the onslaught of hormones that surged throughout me, but I didn’t care.  Tidal waves of pleasure crashed over me as my body was completely at the whim of the werewolf.

“That’s what Daddy likes to hear,” he smirked, pushing his cock back into me.  Before long, I felt as if my entire insides were filled by him… shoot, he was so long that he was probably inside my ribcage…  “All in.  You managed to take the entirety of Daddy’s cock.  Good boy.”

At being praised, I couldn’t help that goofy smile that formed on my sweaty face.  I was pleasing Daddy and he liked my hole, giving me a sexual sense of satisfaction.  This felt so right!  Not once did I experience an ounce of pain, even with Daddy being exaggeratedly larger than my ex.  It seemed as if our bodies were made for each other, my body knowing to allow him inside without any problems at all.

It was perfect.

“N-now,” he growled through gritted teeth, “I want you to promise me, that you’ll tell Daddy if it hurts even a little bit.  Understand? If Daddy hurts you, he’ll never forgive himself.”

I nodded.  “Yes, Daddy.”

The werewolf leaned forward, making me bend my body a little more as he did so.  He brushed his lips onto mine, his tongue flicking out for a brief second.  “I love you,” he breathed, his yellow eyes staring down at me with full sincerity.  He straightened his posture slightly and slowly began to thrust his hips back and forth, making me moan out loud with pleasure.

O.M.G., it felt amazing!  The werewolf’s giant cock head jostled against my prostate, sending jolts of electricity through my body, my eyesight bursting into rainbows and shapes previously unknown to me.  My fingers found themselves running along the giant expanse of Daddy’s back, trying to keep him close to me so that this feeling would never end.  Sex with Vincent had sucked, point blank.  But when I did with Daddy… well, I could finally see what all of the fuss was about.

“Oh Daddy,” I moaned when he began to pick up speed, both of our bodies moving in tandem on the bed as he pounded my tight hole.  

The werewolf’s muscular arms flexed with power as he snatched me up in them, pinning me between his sweaty chest and the mattress as he pressed all of his weight onto me.  He didn’t feel too heavy though.  Instead, my hormones were aflame as his muscles were shoved against me, just illuminating how much of a man this guy really was… and he was having sex with me!  Me of all people; and he didn’t even lose a bet!

“Mine!” Daddy grunted, managing to bend his body so that he was thrusting his monster cock into my hole while simultaneously attacking my neck with his mouth.  As he sucked on my pulse spot, no doubt leaving a giant hickey, I nearly shot my load at the dual sensations.  “Only Daddy gets to have you, only Daddy.”  His stubble prickled against my skin as he spoke, his fangs scraping along the surface, making me arch my back and shove myself even closer to his chest muscles.

“All, *pant, a-all yours, Daddy!” I gasped.  “I’m all yours!”

With a deep rumbling growl of pleasure that shook both me and him, I began to feel something else happening inside of me.  It felt as if, from the base, Daddy’s cock was… inflating?

“Wh-what’s happening?” I groaned, bummed that the widening girth was slowing his movements, but the thickness was adding more stimulation in an exotic way.

The werewolf smirked, his teeth grating even more along my neck and clavicle.  “Daddy’s gettin’ close,” he admitted.  “My knot’s forming, and it’s gonna lock you to me for quite some time so that your body absorbs all of Daddy’s cum.”

I don’t know why, but that sounded so incredibly hot to me.  Not only was I totally being claimed by this manly alpha right now, but his cum would also inadvertently mark me as his as well— dang.

Something inside of me began to grow, an instance pressure in my groin area as my own cock seemed to ache for release.  “D-Daddy,” I breathed, “I th-think I’m gonna cum!”  Wow, I seriously felt as if I’d blow my load right now and without even touching my own dick— sex with Daddy was just that wonderful.  Seriously, it felt as if every pleasure receptor in my body was being caressed by Daddy as his cock head toyed with my prostate and his mouth sucked at my pulse zone on my neck.  The man was a genius of lovemaking.

“That’s it, Baby,” he growled, “cum for Daddy.”  His knot continued to swell, and he shoved his hips forward with more power, his cock completely inside of me.

I threw my head back and moaned loudly for all of the apartment complex to hear (man, I really hope that factoid about excellent canine hearing doesn’t apply to werewolves…), strings of my sperm shooting out of my cock and landing onto the bed.  The sensation of cumming was similar to that of falling almost, being weightless and numb at the same time.  However, that was also eclipsed by the euphoria in my hole from the werewolf, pleasure rippling throughout my body, making me feel as if I could cum for days.

Daddy began to tense up, his arms flexing with power as he yanked me tightly to him.  The thick veins on his neck popped out as he rolled his head back, his fangs gritting together.  “Mine!” he roared out one last time, his cock exploding inside of me, shooting pints of cum into my body.  The warm fluid filled me up, making me feel as if I’d been eating an entire soup dinner backwards… but it oh-so satisfying.  

The werewolf began to shallowly pant as he relaxed his body, rolling over so that we both lied on our sides.  After a bit of positioning somehow, which was made flawlessly easy thanks to the lube he’d used, Daddy managed to reposition us so that he spooned me from the back, his knot still firmly latched inside of my hole.

“Holy shit,” he breathed, his hot breath blowing over me.  “That was fuckin’ hot.”  His large arms were locked around me, allowing absolutely zero space to come between us.

Oh my goodness… I did it.  I was just knotted by a werewolf, and dang it, I enjoyed it.  I’ve never felt so sexually stimulated or attractive before in my life!  There hadn’t been a single moment in which I’d felt any kind of pain whatsoever.  The werewolf knew exactly what he was doing at all times, turning my brain and body into a pile of sexually-charged mush that was ready to be molded by his skilled hands.

His still-hard cock pulsed inside of me, twitching every so often.  Daddy grunted again and I felt another surge of cum squirt into my hole, his head nuzzling my neck as he did so.

“Well, my love,” he cooed, sounding slightly out of breath as we basked in post-orgasmic bliss together, “you’re officially all Daddy’s.  And that means that I’m gonna spend the rest of my life treating you like the treasure you are.  I love you, Darren.  So, so very much, I love you.”

I know that I’d been confused earlier and that I’d had trouble figuring out my feelings for the other man.  However, at this moment in time with his knot firmly lodged inside of me and with him holding my naked form to his equally naked, albeit bigger, form, it just felt perfect.

“I love you too, Daddy,” I whispered.

With a happy yelp, Daddy tightened his grip on me and leaned forward to press his happy lips onto my cheek, moaning lowly as did so.  “So you’re aware that means that I’m never ever gonna let you go,” he playfully growled.  “You’re mine forever, and now each and every night, Daddy’s gonna fuck that tight hole of yours to remind you who you being to.”

I couldn’t prevent the small smile from forming on my face as Daddy peppered little kisses up along my face and neck, his hard cock twitching with excitement the whole time.  

Everything was perfect, so perfect.  I had just gotten knotted by the man I trusted most in the entire world, I’d just had pleasurable sex for the first time… everything was finally starting to look up for me.

“Wanna go at it again?” Daddy asked, lightly biting down onto my neck, making me shove my butt closer to him.

Nothing could bring me down…

**(◣_◢)**

I still wore a giant smile even as I hopped out of Ronnie’s car, ready for a Monday at school.  I’d been knotted by Daddy and had even managed to squeeze in another session of love-making this morning.  Daddy was insatiable!  Every few minutes, he’d nod down at his hard cock, wiggling his eyebrows and asking, “Wanna ride?”  
 ****

It would have totally made me cringe in the past, but I don’t know.  For some reason, I just didn’t feel so uptight about that anymore.  I finally felt… I’m not sure how to describe it, but I think it’s called “Happy”.

Yeah, I think I’m finally happy.  I’d told Daddy that I loved him yesterday after he knotted me, and ever since then, I’d been feeling as if I were walking in the clouds, without a care in the world.  Even when I had to leave for school and had to ride with just Ronnie and Lola since he had to gather up stuff for his job, I wasn’t disappointed in the least.  At worst, I felt a pang of remorse over having to be away from the older man for a few hours, but I also felt a shrill of excitement over being able to have sex with him again.

I’m completely thrilled with being all Daddy’s.

“You’re totally glowing,” Ronnie gushed as we walked through the school parking lot, heading towards the building.

“Mm-hmm,” Lola added, smirking as she eyed me up and down.  “And we totally know why.  So, we want the deets, all of them.  Like, did it hurt? Is Alpha super hung?”

My face began to burn bright red with the knowledge that everyone in the entire pack must’ve been in on the fact that Daddy and I had finally had sex.  Nervously, I began to toy with the black scarf that I wore to shield away the many hickeys that Daddy had marked me with… to show humans I was taken, he’d explained.  Despite my euphoric state of mind and care free attitude as of late, there was no way I was looking to publish an exposé revealing each and every sweaty detail.  “Um, it was fun,” I mumbled, looking down at my feet.

Seriously, I must’ve had something stamped on my forehead that said that I’d had sex because as we approached the school, more and more students began to look my way, a majority of them whispering among themselves.  What was going on?

“Aww, c’mon!” Lola whined, even stomping her foot childishly.  “I’m gonna need more than that!  Ya know what? To be fair, I’ll tell you something about about Rhett.  His dick has—”

“What is everyone talking about?” Ronnie interrupted, cocking her eyebrow as she began to slowly catch on that the rest of the student body was staring at us, more specially, me.

It was something straight out of a sci-fi movie, with the entirety of the high school population, even some of the teachers, looking in my direction.  Some of them pointed and a few of them whispered to the person right next to them.  “That’s him!”  “That’s Darren Estrada!”  “Oh!  I recognize him!”  “He has a big forehead…”

“Wh-what’s going on?” I wondered aloud in a small voice, shifting my weight back on forth on my feet.

The girls both shrugged their shoulders and we continued through the creepy crowd, my nerves starting to rise to obscene levels.  Something was wrong, and it was beginning to make me feel incredibly uncomfortable.  My mind began to tell me to call Daddy and ask him to pick me up, but he didn’t have a car and it would be difficult to ride on his motorcycle with my arm still in a cast.  What else was I supposed to do? Evidently, people knew something about me which was really surprising seeing as how I’d desperately done all that I could to be invisible at school.  I have no clue what could be going on.

Could people be in on the fact that Daddy and I had had sex? I mean, I wasn’t ashamed of it, but I didn’t people to know, mainly out of my timidness!

We entered the school, the crowd of students giving me the same wide-eyed look as the ones outside.  What the—?

Ronnie loudly gasped and rushed over to a locker that had a pink piece of paper taped to the front of it… come to think of it, each and every locker in the hallway had papers taped to them, each of them printed with the same message: _Darren Estrada is a Faggot!_ The shocking phrase was even accompanied with a photo of me, one of my school ones from back in El Paso.

It was as if someone had pulled the plug and all of my self-confidence gushed down the drain, leaving me feeling utterly defeated and like dirt.  Despite all of my good feelings from finally being knotted by Daddy and finally having some sense of self-worth, all if it disappeared as each and every student in the cramped hallway eyed me, confirming that they’d seen the flyers that’d mysteriously been posted around campus.

People knew that I was gay.  My secret was out.

B-but how?

“Darren!” Ellie called as she rushed out of the attendance office, glaring at any of the students who kept staring at me.  “C’mon, come to the office!”  She latched onto my arm and dragged me towards the temporary safety of her office… but I knew that in the end I was screwed.

My secret was out, and in a tiny town like this, the news would travel fast.  It would travel all the way home to Jonathan.


	27. Art3mis & Parzival

“Art3mis & Parzival” - GUNSHIP

_There’s a mountain of fire / I will meet you there / Into the dark I’m coming home / Through the mountain of fire / With glass eye and digital water / Through the shadows I’m coming home_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**   
****

_Darren Estrada is a Faggot!_   
****

That slogan was posted everywhere in my high school for the entire student body to read.  And of course, because my luck was horrendous, my school picture had been printed on the flyers as well.  I’m fairly certain that, due to my ability to blend in fantastically, had my picture not been on the papers then my identity would not have been revealed to at least ninety-eight percent of the school.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Now everybody would know that I was gay.  Of course I could argue my case and claim that the flyers were constructed by some enemy who wanted to soil my reputation by spreading hateful lies.  However, once the seeds were planted, there was no stopping the questions people would have about my sexuality. 

My life was over.

People would now know that I was gay, and people outside of the Crescent City Pack no less.  To be honest, I’d been fine with the pack knowing since Daddy had promised me that he’d keep my secret for me and not tell any humans that I’m gay.  However, now humans knew.  Plus, with the town being super small, news would be able to travel extremely fast.  

The news would travel all the way home to Jonathan somehow.  I just know it.

“Darren!” Ronnie shouted as she followed me and Ellie into the Attendance Office, away from all of the curious stares from my peers.  “Do you know who would do this?”

I silently shook my head, allowing my body to move on its accord without any help from my brain.  My mind was in a frazzled and fearful state.  If Jonathan found out that I was gay, then I’d be kicked out of my house without a doubt.  I’d have nowhere to go… I mean, I suppose Daddy would be all too happy to open up his place for me, but still.  That would mean losing my mom and not having her in my life at all.  I wasn’t looking forward to that.

“Well, I can call Justin and see if he can pick up a scent and then we’ll find out who’s doing this,” Ronnie said as she bolted out of the office, already beginning her self-appointed mission.

I honestly have no idea who would want to hurt me like this.  The only people who knew that I was gay were Vincent, Daddy, Howie, and the Crescent City Pack.  Vincent was all the way in El Paso… I hope.  I mean, he’d threatened that he was on his way here, but there was no way he’d know my high school or would bother to go through such a hate-fueled activity, right? Daddy wouldn’t do this, so I could automatically cross him off the list.  Howie, God bless him, probably doesn’t know what a copy machine is, so I’m not too worried about him.  When it comes down to the pack, I can’t come up with a single face that would want to see me suffer.  Not only was each member a genuinely good person, but I was the Alpha’s mate— that was like a queen, no pun intended.

“We’ll figure out who did this, don’t worry Darren,” Ellie reassured me as she sat me down in one of the chairs in the office.  “The principal did tell us that the back doors had been busted open, but the security cameras are just for show so we didn’t capture footage of anyone.  But I’ll contact Paul and have him come pick you up so that you won’t have to deal with the B.S. from the students here.  Would that be fine?”

If I was being truthful, the best idea in my mind was to make sure that Jonathan didn’t catch wind of this.  If he overheard that my secret was out at school, then I’d be booted from the family I grew up with.  Mom would shun me and she’s been the person I’ve known for my entire seventeen years!  I can’t lose her all because of Jonathan’s stupidity.  I have to stop this from happening.

_Just wait for Daddy!_ the voice urged, not grasping the severity of the situation.

I leapt out of the chair and rushed for the doors.  “J-just tell Daddy that I had to go home real quick!” I called out to Ellie as I bolted.  “Please!”

“Wait!” she tried to yell out to me, but I was long gone.

I shoved my way through the mass of students, trying frantically to ignore the stares and jeers from them.  A few of them gave me sympathetic looks while a handful took large, disgusted steps away from me, trying to avoid bodily contact at all costs.  Darn it!  My life was totally flipped upside down in just a matter of minutes!  This morning had been wonderful!  I’d been basking in the warmth of having Daddy knot me, and then this sends me spiraling down to the dirt!  

Why can’t I just enjoy life?!

Of course the smartest thing to do would have been to have asked Ronnie for a ride to my house or to have waited for Daddy to take me.  But I didn’t have time to wait!  I needed to rush home as soon as possible to stop the news from traveling to Jonathan… somehow.

I burst out the front doors of the school, pumping my arms viciously as I sprinted down the street towards the gated community that held my house.  My backpack kept swinging wildly back and forth, totally impeding my running, so I just ditched it, letting it topple to the sidewalk behind me as I pushed forward.  I don’t care about anything else at this moment— I can always buy a new scientific calculator and re-do my Calculus homework.  I NEED to get home now!

My phone began to ring in my pocket, but I ignored it, not wanting to slow down for any reason at all.  If it was Daddy, then I’m sure that Ellie would’ve told him where I was going just in case I need backup or someone to call a coroner to clean up my remains.

My lungs burned as if they were on fire as I sprinted down the sidewalk, my feet aching as they slapped against the pavement with my ferocious movements.  Holy moly, I was way out of shape, already panting and gasping for breath… just barely off school property.  I passed a couple of other students who were walking to school, each and every one of them eying me like I was crazy for being all red-faced and coughing as I sputtered.  They’d know why as soon as they reached school though… darn it.

_It’s not that bad_ , the voice tried to comfort me.  

“Shut up!” I hissed at it through gritted teeth, clenching my fists as I continued to pump my arms to keep running.  “You have no idea how this will ruin my life!”  Yes, I had Daddy now and of course I wouldn’t have to worry about living on the streets.  But I wasn’t ready to come out yet!  I felt so violated and vulnerable with having everybody at school know my deepest, darkest secret.  And I was terrified at never being able to see my family again, mainly my mom and even Howie.  I’m sure Jonathan would forbid me from seeing him again… the old man had totally grown on me!

The gated community came into view and I surged forward, running even faster than I had during the Mating Run.  By the time I finally reached the house, my limbs each felt as if they’d fall off at any second, and my eyesight was blurry from the lack of oxygen I received due in part to my extreme panting— I am out of shape.  But still, I can just join a gym later (eh, probably not).

I slammed the front door open as I rushed inside, cringing when I noticed that I’d swung it open so hard that it’d cracked the drywall behind it.  Whatever, I can fix that later.  I hurried inside the house, sweat dripping down my forehead as I searched for my stepdad.

“J-Jonathan?” I coughed, my voice hoarse and my throat painfully sore.  “Are you home?”

There was some shuffling in the kitchen, and I hurried over to it, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw the guy searching through the fridge for something to eat.  “What do you want?” he grunted, not even bothering to look at me.

Man, I really didn’t think this through.  I couldn’t just up and ask him if he’d heard that I was gay without accidentally outing myself.  I need to be coy…  “Uh… uh, h-how’s it goin’?” I asked, even leaning up against the island counter in an attempt to appear all calm and collected.  I’m fairly sure my cover was instantly blown thanks to my reddened face and dampened clothes.

“Fine?” he wondered, snatching an herbal drink and turning around to cock a confused eyebrow at me.  “Shouldn’t you be at school?”

Oh crud!  “Uh, it’s a holiday… Saint, um, RuPaul’s Day.”  Wow, I really suck at thinking on my feet.

“Never heard of it,” the man muttered as he began to drink his herbal mixture, apparently not caring if I was skipping school.  “I dropped Dad off at the senior center so that he could play Bingo with the other old folks, so keep quiet so I can take nap.”

Okay, okay.  This was good.  Jonathan was being his usual apathetic self, not taking the slightest interest in me or my life at all!  Yay!  This was perfect!  He hadn’t heard about the flyers at school, which meant that I had time to come up with a game plan.  Maybe I could pretend that the school burnt down, and just make it my life’s mission to keep my parents as far away from school grounds as possible.  That could work…

Jonathan’s cell phone went off, his rap song ringtone blaring in the kitchen.  Rolling his eyes, he snatched it off the counter and brought it up to his ear.  “Yeah?” he answered impatiently, and I overheard the muffled sounds of a man’s voice on the other end.

I slumped over against the counter, feeling my adrenaline beginning to wear off.  I was safe, and I felt as if I could finally breathe again.  My secret was out in the open at school, which really sucked, but at least I was safe at home for the time being.  Now all I need to do is keep the news away from Jonathan by all means necessary.  It might not even be that difficult since he usually can’t wait to ignore me, it’s like his favorite hobby.

“Wait, what?” my stepdad asked the person over the phone, narrowing his icy eyes in my sweaty direction.  “Really?— And they had his picture on them too?— So that’s why he’s not at school.  So it’s not St. RuPaul’s Day after all.— Talk to ya later, Bud.”  He pressed a button on his phone, ending the call and making my heart freeze up in my chest.

Uh-oh.  Although the rest of my body was numb with fear, my legs tightened up as I prepped myself to sprint back out the front door and go… anywhere else!  I wasn’t a fool.  Someone had tattled on me; could it have been the same person who had made the flyers? Either way, my life was over, at school and now at home.  My family would disown me and I’d never see any of them ever again.

A lump began to grow in my throat and my eyes stung as tears welled up in them, making my eyesight blurry again.  I took a cautious step backward as Jonathan slammed his phone down onto the counter with enough force that the screen went black.

“I guess I never told ya that I’m good friends with the French teacher,” Jonathan sneered, looking utterly disgusted at me.  “And he just called to ask if you were okay because he said that the school had been covered from wall to wall with flyers that revealed your little secret.”  He took a step towards me, and I sidestepped in response, trying to keep the island counter between us in case he attacked.

Oh man, I really wished I’d thought this through… and I really wished that Daddy was here to protect me.

“I-I’m sorry,” I whimpered, having no idea what else to do.  Tears now freely fell down my face and I began to sniffle as my nose got all stuffy.  

“I told you just one thing when we moved here, Darren,” Jonathan snarled, his eyes going crazy with rage.  “I told you not to bring any fuckin’ fags in my house, didn’t I?”

I was silent with terror, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the island counter for support.

“Didn’t I?!” he roared out, making me flinch.

“Y-yes, Sir,” I trembled, my knees buckling.  The cast on my left arm from our previous fight seemed to weigh a million pounds now, a frightening reminder of what my stepdad would do to me during his fits of rage.  I’m in trouble.

“So here’s what’s gonna happen,” he huffed through gritted teeth, his own face turning red with disgusted fury as he stared me down, attempting to puff out his chest to look larger and more intimidating.  It worked, but I couldn’t help but note that Daddy was at least ten times bigger than him.  “I’m gonna give you exactly five seconds to get your faggot ass out of my home and away from my family.  One.  Two.”

I don’t even think that I can make it to the front door in five seconds, not after all the running I’d just done in order to get home as soon as I did.  That and there was no way that I wanted Mom and Howie to be out of my life!  Mom was my only blood relative that I had.  With her gone, I’d almost be alone in the world, blood-wise!  I don’t want that!  I don’t want my life uprooted and taken away from me all because of my stepdad’s hatred!  It’s not fair!

“Three.”

_Look at his neck_ , the voice urged.

Huh? I directed my shaky line of sight to Jonathan’s jugular, noticing that he had yet another hickey on his neck, most likely from his “friend”.  My tears stopped instantly and I began to form an idea in my head, something completely out of character, but it might just work.

“Four.”

“A-actually, Jonathan,” I piped up, my shaky voice totally betraying my tough façade, “I’m n-not going anywhere.”  I even pathetically straightened my posture and stuck out my chin, attempting with all of my might to look badass.  Despite my outward appearance, I felt as if I was about to throw up under the scrutinizing glare of the older man.

“The fuck you are!” he spat… like literally.  He spat at me, his loogie landing on my sweater and slowly dripping down the fabric, leaving a slimy trail in its wake.

Gagging, I struggled to voice my threat.  “If… ugh, i-if you throw me out,” I choked, “th-then I’ll tell Mom about your extracurricular activities.”

“My what?” he asked.

This man’s an idiot.  “I’ll tell Mom you’re cheating on her!” I yelled, even pointing an accusing finger at the hickey on his neck… huh, Daddy had given me a larger one.  Nonetheless, I had him.  Jonathan may be a selfish prick who nobody likes (shoot, I even doubted Howie liked the guy), but he held a torch for my mom.  Mom had frequently recounted tales of him asking her out on dates over and over until she’d finally given in— he had it bad for her… so I’m not sure why he cheated.  Anyways, I knew that if I threatened to take his wife away, then he wouldn’t kick me out.

I finally had one over on Jonathan!

“Oh really?” he taunted, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Y-yeah!” I shouted, snatching my phone out of my pocket.  “In fact, I’ll c-call her right now!”  I even turned on the screen and pressed random apps so that I could watch the man squirm.  I’ve been waiting years to finally put him in his place and get revenge on him for making my life miserable.  I cannot wait to make him suffer as I threaten to reveal his infidelity around every corner.  

“Oh, so you think you’re tough shit now, huh?” Jonathan mocked, easily reaching across the island counter to snatch my phone out of my hand.  “You wanna play with the big kids now, do ya?”

Um, this was not how it was supposed to go down…

My stepdad stalked around the counter, his menacing bulk swaying back and forth as he made me cower in place.

“Since ya wanna be all tough guy, I’m gonna kick your faggot ass so badly that they’ll have to use your dental records in order to identify you,” he sneered, easily towering over me as he approached, making me swallow loudly.

“Uh, I was just kidding…”

The maniac reached out and grabbed a fistful of my hair, roughly tugging me behind him as he stormed out of the kitchen.  I screamed out in pain as it felt as if he’d rip the skin right off of my scalp with his iron grip, refusing to lessen up his hold the smallest bit.  I nearly stumbled and lost my step as I was dragged, and I sadly attempted to claw at his hand in order to get myself free.  He brought me into the living room, tossing me onto the hard ground where I struggled to catch my breath.

“I’ve been waitin’ years to do this,” he growled.  “You always were such an annoying little brat!”  

I cried out in agony as he thrusted his foot forward, colliding with my ribs.  As he kicked me, shockwaves of pain rippled throughout my body, making me tense up and curl into a little ball in order to minimize the pain that was coming my way.  The irate man continued his barrage of kicks, muttering hateful slurs and phrases the entire time, his face beet red with pure disgust.

“First, your father takes Laura from me… *KICK, then you’re fuckin’ conceived and she has to leave… *KICK, and then you’re there all the damn time always reminding me of that fucking asshole!”

“St-stop!” I cried out, trying to block his blows with my hands, but all that did was cause my stepdad to kick my hands and my cast.  I screamed out as I pathetically lied on the hard floor, taking every abuse that my stepdad threw my way.

Jonathan dropped to his knees, pressing down on my shoulder and winding his right arm back.  “You’ve been a pain in my ass ever since I met you,” he spat, “you and your fuckin’ father.  And now, your dumbass dad will be able to hear from you just what it’s like to have the shit beaten outta ya every single damn day!”

He shifted his weight, readying himself to smash his closed fist into my face, and I tensed up and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the destructive blow that I knew was coming.  I just hope that he doesn’t knock out any of my teeth… I didn’t wear braces all throughout middle school for nothing.  My head violently flung to the side, nearly detaching from my neck as an explosion of pain erupted all across my face.  I could feel my cheek split open, spilling out small droplets of blood that dripped down to my chin.  Instead of crying out in pain, I heard myself uttering out a barely-audible plea for help— something completely instinctual and unconscious.

“Daddy,” I whimpered.

CRASH!

“What the—?” Jonathan and I both wondered at the same time.

With a loud clap, Jonathan’s fist was snatched in a much larger fist.  The deep, rumbling sound of a ferocious growl echoed throughout the house, and Daddy lowered his pissed off face in front of Jonathan’s paling one.  Daddy bared his massive werewolf fangs, angrily snarling at my stepdad who trembled with fear.

“M-Martinez?” Jonathan gasped, trying to yank his fist out of Daddy’s hold, but the werewolf refused to loosen his grip.  “The fuck are you doin’ in my house?”

Tenderly putting a shaky hand up to my busted cheek, I managed to see down the hall that the front door was on the floor off its hinges.  I knew that Ellie had mentioned that she’d let Daddy know that I was going home, therefore it was safe to assume that the Alpha had rushed over here as soon as the news hit.

Daddy took one look at me, running his yellow eyes up and down my defeated frame, his snarl growing louder and much more frustrated as he did so.  He whipped his head to stare down my stepdad, his bicep flexing as he tightened his hold on his fist.  “What did you do to my boy?” he demanded through gritted teeth.

Jonathan’s pale face went from scared spitless to cocky.  He narrowed his eyes at the werewolf and a large smirk formed as he clicked his tongue.  “So you know,” he challenged.  What? Where was he going with this? 

Daddy’s scowl deepened and his snarl grew louder.  

“Does he?” Jonathan asked, nodding his head at me as I continued to lie on the floor in a pathetic slump.

I, uh, I have no idea what is going on.  Both men stared one another down, seemingly silently daring the other to make a move.  Part of me was so relieved that Daddy was here to rescue me (again), and the other part really wanted to watch him kick Jonathan’s butt.  My face hurt so badly, the cut on my cheek throbbing with every beat of my heart.  I could feel my blood dripping down my face and falling down onto the hardwood floor.  My ribs ached whenever I breathed and I placed a shaky hand to them, breathing out a sigh of relief when I didn’t feel anything protruding.

Daddy refused to retreat from the stare down he was having.  “Darren,” he grunted, “go outside to the car.  I’ll be there shortly.”  He must’ve had Justin drive him over here.

“O-okay, Daddy,” I nodded, noticing him flinch as soon as I uttered his name.

Jonathan’s eyes widened and he chuckled.  “No way,” he laughed at Daddy, his face turning beet red as he guffawed.  “You sick fucks.”

“Shut up, Johnny!” Daddy barked.

“He doesn’t know, does he?” Jonathan continued, trying to stand up and erect his posture, but Daddy kept his balled-up fist firmly lodged in his own, forcing him to his knees.

Daddy’s own breathing sped up and he began to growl with much more insistence.  “Darren, go outside.  Now!” he ordered.

Something was seriously wrong.  

Still, I knew that Daddy always had my best interests in mind, so I quickly scampered up to my hands and knees from the ground, having to grab tightly onto the living room coffee table in order to help me get to my feet due to my aching ribs.  Just the simple act of standing was painful thanks to the pummeling that Jonathan had given me, and there existed some vengeful side of me that wanted to see him get what’s been coming to him for quite a while now.  

For years, ever since I could remember when he and Mom had gotten together, that man has made my life utterly miserable.  He’s driven a large wedge in between me and my mother, causing her to take his side on each and every disagreement that occurred, making me out like some sort of ungrateful brat.  He’s made me feel afraid to be myself and embrace my homosexuality, instead encouraging me to hide my true self out of fear of being abandoned by those closest to me.  He’s attempted to forge some sort of barrier between Daddy and me when we’d first arrived in Crescent City by over-exaggerating the cult-like undercurrent of the town (I mean, he was kind of right, but still).  He’d broken my arm during a heated argument.  I can honestly say that I hate Jonathan, and I believed that I was completely justified in my feelings.

I swear that had Daddy been some sort of mecha-werewolf, laser beams would’ve shot out from his eyes and incinerated the shaking, smug man.  He looked straight up ready to commit murder in this house, and I knew that that protective instinct of his must’ve been going haywire as he stared at the wound on my face.

Taking a quick peek at the cumbersome cast on my left arm, I found myself muttering, “Jonathan broke my arm.”

I have no clue where that came from or why it’d taken me so long to come clean, but as soon as the words left my lips, I could feel weight being lifted off my shoulders.  That airy sensation combined with the safety that I knew was oncoming thanks to Daddy being here allowed me to finally feel at ease in my own home.

“Wh-what?” Jonathan tried to laugh, but I could see a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.  “He’s obviously lying.  The clumsy kid fell off his damn skateboard.”

“He doesn’t even own a skateboard!” Daddy roared, tightening his grip on Jonathan’s fist.  The veins popped out on his arm as he squeezed tighter, my stepdad’s face contorting with pain.

My stepdad began to yell out in agony as I heard the blood-curdling cracking sounds of the bones in his hand.  There was this time when I’d squished an orange in my grasp to make orange juice, and all of the pulp and insides squirted out of it— literally the same thing happened with Jonathan’s hand as Daddy crushed it in his powerful grip.  It didn’t matter how loud the older man screamed or how hard he slapped at the werewolf with his free hand, my Daddy continued to behave like a python that was squeezing the life-force out of its prey.  Blood seeped down Jonathan’s arm, staining the rolled-up sleeves of his button-down shirt.  He tried to yank himself away, but Daddy was enormously stronger than him, smirking as my stepdad began to tear up in anguish.

When Daddy finally released what was left of Jonathan’s fist, I nearly gagged in shock and disgust.  My stepdad’s previously tough fist had been reduced to a bloody pulp, crushed bones splintering out through his crumbled flesh.  He held it up to his chest, sobbing with pain as his entire body shook under the werewolf’s demonic glare.

“Let that be a lesson to you,” Daddy growled.  “You ever put your hands on my boy again, and next time I’ll rip both your fuckin’ arms off.  Got it?”  Dang, I’m so glad that I’m permanently on Daddy’s good side.

“Fuck you, Martinez!” Jonathan spat, still trembling like an injured puppy.  “Just take your fuckin’ faggot offspring with you and get out of my house!”  As he spoke that last statement, his hate-filled eyes darted my way for a split second.  Wait…

Daddy flinched again and clenched his jaw, shoving the man away from him as he stood up to his full height.  “Darren,” he called in a deep voice reeking of his Alpha status, “let’s go.”

Something was wrong.

I could literally feel the cogs turning in my head as I thought over this altercation with Jonathan and Daddy.  The former seemed to have some sort of inside information regarding the Daddy!Kink relationship that Daddy and I were in, why else would he refer to Daddy as “My Dad” and me as “Offspring”? I don’t think that’s quite the correct terminology for DDLB, right? I’m pretty new to this, so I could be wrong.

On the other hand, how on Earth could Jonathan have figured that out in the first place? He wasn’t a werewolf (last time I checked) and Daddy had promised to keep our relationship a secret from those not in the pack— how could Jonathan of all people find out?

Daddy, still looking beyond uncomfortable, held out an impatient hand for me to take so that he could lead me outside to the car.  I almost walked over to it when my defeated stepdad began to groan and chuckle at the same time— such a weird noise.

“You sick fucker,” he choked, actually looking crazy as he sat on the floor holding his crippled hand while laughing, “I’ve known that kid a lot longer than you.  And I can tell by that dense look that my idiot stepson has no clue.”

“Johnny, if you don’t shut your fuckin’ mouth then I swear I’ll eat you!” Daddy roared.  W-was that a threat or something kinky? I honestly can’t tell with him anymore.

Jonathan continued to laugh maniacally, sending shivers of uneasiness down my spine, making me shift my weight from foot to foot as I longed to leave so badly.  “Darren!” he chuckled.  “Darren, get this: Your dad’s in love with you!  I can see it from that look in his eye, that piece of shit is actually in love with his own damn son!”  He succumbed to a fit of hysteric laughter as I could feel my stomach pummel a million feet at the weight of his words.

“What?” I mumbled to myself, trying to piece it all together.  I cocked a confused eyebrow over at Daddy who refused to meet my gaze, staring straight down at his shoes.  Even the voice in the back of my head was silent as I mulled over what Jonathan had just told me.

D-did he actually believe that Daddy wasn’t just my Daddy, but that he was also my father?

No, see, I’d been a little confused at first too, but I’ve come to realize that there is a difference in  the words “Daddy” and “Dad”, the latter denoting that there’s some sort of blood-relation between the two people.  Paul was not Dad, he was Daddy— that means that he’s more of a kinky lover.

But then again…

My heartbeat began to race when I began to do the math and piece all of the puzzle pieces together to form a coherent picture.  My mom had gotten pregnant with me seventeen years ago when she lived here in Crescent City, where she and Daddy had known one another.  Jonathan had mentioned that Daddy had gotten a girl pregnant in high school and that she’d ran off.  I’ve never met Daddy’s child (Oh goodness, am I a step-parent?), and when Mom had gotten pregnant, she’d been shipped off to El Paso immediately afterwards.  All of that had happened seventeen years ago.

I’m seventeen years old.

No, there’s no way.

However, my stepdad had said that whenever he looked at me, he was tormented with the memory of my father— his high school bully.  It was no secret that Daddy hadn’t been the nicest guy to Jonathan while the two of them were in school.  Whenever he spoke of Daddy, malice marinated each and every one of his words and he always seemed to be on the verge of bursting into flames from the sheer heat of his hatred.

Daddy had had a total freak out episode when I’d shown him the yearbook picture of my mom.  He’d rushed out of the apartment lightening fast, looking as if he’d seen a ghost.  A picture of my mom had freaked him out after he’d discovered that I was his mate.

_It does make sense_ , the voice commented.  _I have no clue how you didn’t put it together earlier._

My bottom lip trembled and I could feel my insides twisting in knots at the prospect of what I’d been told.  Could it be possible? No, no it was impossible.  Even if all of the math synced up perfectly and the coincidences were far too many, Mom (love her to death) was a ho.  Plain and simple.  There’s no way that out of the all the guys she’s had, that Daddy could be the one.

Then again, the way that certain people looked at us was all too telltale.  Justin, Ronnie, Ellie, and Howie were some of the few who would give Daddy and me these looks that seemed to indicate that they knew something that I didn’t.  At first, I’d been under the impression that they’d been referencing the fact that he was a werewolf, but evidently there may be more to it than that.

Oh God, this was so bad.

“P-Paul?” I whimpered, looking up at the quiet man with blurry eyes.  I was so nauseous that I feared I’d spew chunks all over the floor and my stepdad.  I inwardly prayed that what I feared was not true… oh that would be the worst thing in the world.

The Alpha swallowed loudly, still not meeting my frightened gaze.  “Yes, Baby?” he answered.

“Sicko,” Jonathan coughed.

“Shut the fuck up!” Daddy roared, stomping forward and kicking Jonathan square in the mouth, sending the man’s top half toppling down onto the floor where he remained unconscious.  I think he might need an ambulance….

“Paul,” I tried again, “a-are you…”  Oh crud, I couldn’t even get it out.  My entire body shook with nerves as everything I’d witnessed over the past few weeks in Crescent City clicked together perfectly.  When I stared at the whole picture, it all made crystal clear sense and was extremely difficult to deny.  B-but it cannot be true!  It just can’t!

The werewolf sighed, his broad shoulders slumping as he nodded, not even needing to hear the rest of my question.  “Yes, Darren,” he almost-whispered in a solemn voice.  “I’m your father.”

“L-like in a Daddy!Kink sort of way?” I pathetically hoped, even clasping my hands together in prayer, begging for it to not be real.

Daddy shook his head, pinching the skin between his eyes.  “Baby,” he cooed, slowly walking over to me, actually stepping on Jonathan instead of over him, “I really should’ve told you earlier, as soon as I found out myself.  B-but it’s true: I’m your father, your blood-related dad.”

My chest seemed to collapse in on itself, leaving an ice-cold hollow sensation that grew in intensity as I thought over the ramifications of what Daddy— oh goodness, of what _Paul_ had informed me of.  The man was my father, like my actual father who helped to bring me into the world by having sex with my mother.  For years and years, I’d wished to finally meet my father so that he could rescue me from my piss poor existence; but I never expected our meeting to go like this!

“Oh God,” I trembled, grabbing frantically at my hair.  “B-but we did so much!”  We’d already sucked each other off, I’d worn his cum like an undershirt, we’d had sex!  I’d allowed my blood-related father to knot and cum inside of me!  The room seemed to spin and my eyesight grew a little blurry as I began to feel light-headed.

“Darren, I’m so sorry,” Paul whimpered, holding out his hands in front of him sincerely.  “I never should’ve continued this without telling you.”

I’m not even sure when he’d found out himself, but by the red tinge in his saddened eyes, I could tell that he was getting emotional from being found out.  He must’ve known that we were related for a while, and the jerk had tricked me into entering an incestuous relationship with him!  Holy moly, his Daddy!Kink exceeded all boundaries of human decency!  I was so frickin’ pissed at the werewolf for lying to me, and at myself for being so blind to the truth that seemed luminously obvious now.

I’d mentally spouted all of that garbage about how Paul was the one person in the world who I trusted with all of my heart, only to look like an idiot in the end.  Oh gracious, I was almost as sick as he was— I’d unknowingly fallen in love with my father!  There’s no coming back from that.  My stomach churned and I could feel an acidic bile rising up my esophagus, making me clench my fists and take a step towards the couch in case I collapsed.

“G-get out,” I whispered, even pointing to the busted down front door with my cast-covered arm.  It seemed like the best option right now.  I was so furious with Paul right now, the fact that he purposely withheld the truth about our bloodline from me: his own son with whom he had sex.  I think I’m gonna barf…  I could barely stand to look at the traitor, my nausea leaping in strength each time our eyes met.

“Baby, don’t be like that, please,” Paul whined, his deep voice cracking as he took a step forward, but I took a larger one away from him.  “Let’s just sit down and talk about this, and I’ll answer any and all questions that you have.  I promise, Daddy will make this all better.”  Now’s really not the time to be referring to himself like that.

I didn’t want to be here right now.  I hadn’t even wanted to be with Paul in the first place, my gut telling me that he was not someone to mess around with.  Dang, I really wish that I’d trusted my instincts in the beginning, then none of this would be happening to me.

“N-no,” I stammered, shaking my head rapidly.  “Get out of my house.”  I pointed again.

“Darren, I’m not going anywhere.  We really need to talk about this.  I’m sorry!”

“J-just please leave.”

“No!” Paul barked, making me flinch.  “Yes, I fucked up big time, I admit it.  Now, yes, I’m your father.  But I’m also your mate and your Daddy.  And I’m your Alpha, so I’m not going anywhere until we talk about this.”

He’s seriously going to pull the Alpha-card on me right now? 

All of the inner turmoil morphed into a blind rage that made me see red and caused my limbs to twitch as I stared down the werewolf.  I knew that it was wrong and extremely childish, but all that I wanted in that moment was for my… *shudder, father to leave me alone so that I could figure things out— more aptly, how I could figure out how to change my name and get facial reconstruction surgery so that I could attempt to forget all about committing incest.

Unfortunately, my body was on autopilot, and it acted out the first thing that came to mind: “I hate you!” I screamed at Paul, even chucking the TV remote that was on the coffee table at his head.

The remote collided with Paul’s forehead, not even making a sound since I was horribly weak and suck at throwing things.  However, despite there being a zero percent chance for there being any form of physical damage, the emotional effect was all too real as I viewed the werewolf’s face turned ghostly pale with sadness.  His eyes glistened and his shoulders slumped, his head hanging down low.

After a tense moment of silence in which neither us made a move towards the other, Paul finally nodded.  “Fine,” he sniffled, his voice breaking.  “I’ll leave you alone.”

I know that I was supposed to hate the man for lying to me, and a rational section of me did.  However, as Paul slowly turned around in a depressed slump, my heart screamed out for my Daddy to come back and not leave me.  I couldn’t do that though.  I cannot be in an incestuous relationship with my own father.

Therefore, in order to strengthen my resolve, I found myself scoffing, “Good.  And don’t come back.”

Harsh, yes.  But the man frickin’ lied to me!  He tricked me into a relationship, even a sexual one, while knowing that he was my father and that I was his son.  How sick can someone get?!  That’s just so low, even lower than anything Vincent had ever done to me.  Even lower than the pictures that were posted all around the high school.  A part of me actually did harbor feelings of hatred for Paul and it was very relieved to watch him retreat from my house with his tail in between his legs.  

I was so pissed off at him and had the door been attached to its hinges, then I would’ve slammed it shut behind him.

The rumblings of an old car sounded outside and it sped off down the block and away from me, taking the werewolf who was my father with it.  Paul was gone— dang, my father/Daddy was gone.  It was for the best, and I knew that in time I’d forget all about my experiences with a lovesick Alpha werewolf who turned out to be luring an unsuspecting me into a incest-filled romp.  My head began to ache with all of the rage that I felt and I could feel my nose beginning to run little bit from agitation.  I felt so disgusting, like I needed to be seriously scrubbed down in a chemical shower in order to rid myself of all of my indiscretions.  I was so filthy and it was all Paul’s fault for lying to me, that asshole!

I should’ve punched him, spit at him, done something other than toss a stupid remote at his big forehead.  He lied to me!  He was supposed to be my Daddy who I could trust with all that I had, and he tore up my trust like it was a cruddy piece of construction paper!

I hate Paul!


	28. 道 (Michi)

“ 道 (Michi)” - Utada Hikaru

_No matter what / Even on a road I still don’t know where it leads to / I’m sure you’ll be there / It’s a lonely road / But I’m not alone / That’s how it feels_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

After I called an ambulance to pick up the incapacitated Jonathan (I’d claimed that he’d pass out after getting his hand stuck in the garbage disposal), I finally lost it once I was all by myself in the huge, lonely house.  
 ****

I locked myself away in my bedroom, making sure to double check that the bedroom window was secured shut.  Collapsing down onto the mattress that was my bed, I allowed the tears to freely flow down my cheeks as I pondered over how filthy disgusting I was.  My skin felt as if insects were squirming all over it, and my guts burned with what seemed like acid as they churned due to the ramifications of what I’d done.

I’d fallen in love with my father and I’d had sex with him.

Paul was not Daddy, he was Dad.

The worst part was that Paul had been aware of the entire situation— he knew.  The man legitimately knew that he was my father and that I was his son, meaning that he willingly entered into an incestuous relationship with me without letting me in on the inside information.  What kind of sick, perverted jerk does that to their own child? Oh yeah, Paul does.  Darn it, I cannot believe that this sort of thing actually happened to me.  There’s no way this kinda garbage occurs to other people… or I haven’t heard of it happening.  I’m fairly sure that this is something I should take to the grave.

As I trembled in self-hatred tainted wallow underneath my blanket like a frightened child during a thunderstorm, I couldn’t seem to shake myself of that horrible sensation of having committed the  dirtiest of social crimes.  I’d unknowingly engaged in incest.

I’d slept with my own father.

“Oh God…” I whined, sniffling loudly as I sobbed in disgust all alone in my bedroom.  I was so nasty and revolting— there’s nothing positive that I can extract from this situation.  Paul had frickin’ lied to me!  He’d lied to me!  

I used to believe that Paul had been the most trustworthy man on the globe.  I’d shared parts of my body and mind with him, things that I’ve never allowed anyone else access to.  I’d invited him inside my life and had even began to grow accustomed to the whole Daddy!Kink ordeal.  There had existed a microscopic piece of me that had actually envisioned the two of us truly making it to the end, but now there was absolutely no chance.  Daddy— um I mean _Paul_ is done, his butt is grass (it doesn’t have the same ring to to it when I don’t swear).  But…

But I cannot bear the idea of having to be without a Daddy after being able to bask in the euphoria of finally having a man who deeply cared for me.  Vincent had been just a boyfriend, not a Daddy; Jonathan had been just a monstrous stepdad, not a Daddy.  There’d never been a man in my life who had made me feel as beautiful and special as my, *ahem, father had.  Plus, it really sucked that now I’d have to readjust to sleeping by myself without the warm embrace of a hunky man keeping me safe all through the night.  I’ll have to learn how to deal with no more having some powerful werewolf looking out for me everyday, leaving me solo to fend for myself.  No longer would I even get to have a man who would stare lovingly at me with deep adoring eyes that made me think of stories where a previously-blind character first sees a crystalline rainbow.  No more feeling loved.

That shouldn’t matter though!

Right now, I don’t want anything more to do with him or with his incest or with his werewolf pack.

The pack.., what am I going to do about the pack? There’s no doubt in my mind that some of them knew as well.  It’s only common sense that at least Justin, his Beta, knew since he was supposed to be Paul’s right-hand man.  And if Justin knew, then I’m pretty sure that he would’ve told Ronnie.  And if Ronnie knew, then the whole dang Crescent City Pack knew because she has the largest mouth in California.

How many people have been lying to me?

Shoot, the entire Crescent City Pack had more than likely been staring me dead in the face, smiling at me while I’d been dating my own dad.  There’s no way they hadn’t known!  Everyone had already been in on the fact that I’d called Paul “Daddy”, so why not this? I have no clue how I’m going to face everyone at school tomorrow, or how I’m even going to manage leaving the house at all.  The entire Pack would have a watchful eye on me, there’s no way Paul won’t order them to.  

I wiped my nose on my bedsheets, trying to control my breathing so that I’d calm down.  It was a real struggle though— how on Earth can I calm down after finding out that the man I’d dated was my father?! I don’t think there’s a support group for this.  

I failed and couldn’t stop my hurt tears from drenching my blankets.  My heart felt as if it’d been trampled on, reducing it to a mushy pile of goo that was not worth a second glance.  Hopeless, useless, I remanned hidden from the rest of the world, attempting with all of my might to just pretend that nothing had happened.  I wish that I never met Paul, I wish that I’d never even moved to California.  Then I wouldn’t have been forced to experience this hell that I’m going through right now.  My head ached in tandem with my chest, making me feel as if I was concaving in on myself in some sort of emotional black hole that had been created by the one person whom I was meant to trust. 

Apparently, people are not trustworthy at all, especially Paul.  Perhaps I’d be better off all by myself from now on.  No more Vincent, no more boyfriends, no more werewolves, and most importantly: No more Daddy.

**( ᵒ̴̶̷̥́ _ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀ )**

The sun rose and I grimaced as I stirred awake, all by myself on my shoddy mattress on the floor in that terrible house that I live in.

I knew that there was no way people would have miraculously forgotten all of the drama from yesterday regarding the flyers that had been posted all around school calling me a faggot.  However, that appeared to be the least of my worries since I couldn’t feel that familiar chilling sensation in the back of my throat at the prospect of being outed.  No, instead I experienced a sweltering fever at the horrifying thought of people finding out that I’d had sex with my father… oh goodness, I’ll be an even bigger pariah than if I’d just came out.

Sighing for the millionth time during the past twenty-four hours, I slinked out from underneath my security blanket.  I had to go to school, I know that if I didn’t, then I’d be stuck in this tension-filled house that I’m quite sure I can’t live in anymore.  Granted Jonathan had technically kicked me out yesterday, I’d never left the property since arriving.  Plus, hey, if he tries to throw me out again, then I can just ask him how his stump of a hand is.  Mean, yes, but at this point I just don’t care.

I’m cringing myself at sounding like some teen angst-ridden fool, but dang!  The man of my dreams had completely taken a dump all over my trust.  For real, Paul had dropped his pants, squatted down, and let one loose all over my trust for humanity.

At a slow pace due to all of my depressed sighing and groaning, I finally managed to get showered and dressed for the day.  I didn’t bother to brush my hair or even coordinate my outfit, I just wanted to get high school done and over with as soon as possible so that I could leave Crescent City and everybody in it forever… especially Paul and his cronies.

Not even eating anything for breakfast (my stomach was too tied up in knots to even keep anything down), I strolled right out of the broken front door that wasn’t even attached to the frame anymore thanks to a certain werewolf.  It wasn’t raining outside, but the sky was a dark gray, signifying that a downpour was imminent.

My disappointment at the cruddy weather was momentarily halted when I noticed my backpack on the front porch, making me jerk back in surprise.  The other day, I’d totally ditched my book bag in order to sprint home faster in my failed attempt to keep the news from reaching Jonathan regarding my sexuality— yeah, that was a complete and utter failure!  But in a way, I suppose I should be grateful to my stepdad for revealing the truth to me.  It was obvious that Paul sure wasn't planning on it.  Life sure was terrible when Jonathan was the only one who didn’t lie to me.

Rolling my eyes, I snatched my backpack off the ground, knowing full well that Paul had placed it there last night in a pathetic attempt to butter me up and try to get me to stop being pissed at him— whatever!

I was so frickin’ pissed at the jerk!  I cannot even come up with a stronger synonym for “angry” in order to correctly describe the hatred in my heart for the manipulative older man.  Seriously, I’ve never felt so betrayed before in my seventeen years on Earth!  Even when Vincent had sucker punched me in the face or when Jonathan had broken my arm, I’d never gone through a pain quite like this before.

I literally felt as if my chest was being vaporized by some nuclear weapon.

_It’ll be okay_ , that stupid voice in the back of my head murmured.  _Daddy’s our mate, I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt us._

“Paul is not our mate,” I hissed though my teeth, looking insane as I was technically talking to myself.  “He’s gone, and that’s that.”

The voice remained silent.

I put in my earbuds and tried to drown out all of my sorrowful emotions with deafening music, but I still couldn’t seem to get over the teeth-grinding fury that poisoned my veins.  All that seemed to visualize in my mind was the smug, yet sexy, smirking of the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack— the man who referred to himself as “Daddy”, but who was really just “Dad”.  Ugh, I have no clue how I’m going to make it through the day.  My throat was dry with anger and my eyes stung with sadness.  What seemed to irritate me the most was that despite the fact that Paul was low dirty liar, a tiny piece of me missed having a Daddy.

NO!

Paul is a liar who straight up lied directly to my face, refusing to reveal that we were related.  That’s just disgusting!

Muttering obscenities to myself, I stomped my feet all the way to the high school, noting that once I was on the property, all eyes were on me.

Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I began to worry about whether all the attention was from people remembering the fliers from yesterday or if they knew that Paul and I had had incestuous relations.  Oh man, I really pray and hope that it’s the first one.

A few of the students whispered among themselves, some even going so far as to point fingers at me as I walked on by.  I knew that they were talking about me, and my hands began to nervously shake as I feared the worst: that everybody knew that I’d been knotted by my dad.  I have no clue who was in on Paul’s filthy secret.  For all I knew, I was the only person in the entire universe who had no clue that I was the Alpha’s son and Mate.  I mean, how did Jonathan even know?

I trudged inside the school, employing my tunnel vision so that I could just go directly to my locker and then my class without having to talk/listen/deal with anyone else.  It’s time to re-establish my initial plan when I’d moved here and go solo while in school.  It’s the middle of junior year, so I only have to avoid humanity for another year and a half until I can leave for university.  I’d sat through all of _Titanic_ in one sitting, so I think I have the patience to finish school with my sanity intact.

My locker opened with ease and I began to shuffle through it for some needed school supplies when I overheard the spine-snapping clacking of shoes making their way towards me.  Ugh.  Trying with all of my heart and soul to maintain focus on the task at hand, I unzipped my backpack— nearly dropping it and all of its contents onto the hallway floor in breathless surprise.

Paul must’ve thought that he was pretty smooth because inside of my backpack that he’d retrieved for me were mint chocolates (my favorite flavor of chocolate), a shrink-wrapped and brand new copy of the _Pokémon_ game for the 3DS that I hadn’t purchased yet (my favorite video game franchise), a stuffed animal that was of course a black wolf (it looked just like Paul when he was in his wolf form), and a sealed envelope.  Oh God…

“H-hey, Darren,” I heard Ronnie pipe up quietly from behind me.

Resisting the urge to slam my head repeatedly against the linoleum floor so that I could just go into a coma instead of dealing with this right now, I refused to turn around so that I could continue to pick up my backpack and fish out my textbooks from my locker.  “Hi,” I curtly said.

From the other breathing that I could pick up on, I could tell that Lola was with Ronnie too, but remained silent as her more talkative friend took the reigns of the conversation.

“So, um,” Ronnie mumbled, trying to keep her voice down so that no one else could hear her, “Alpha locked himself away in his apartment and won’t come out for anything.  We were wondering if everything is okay with you two?”

She knew.  By the shaky tremble in her voice down to the way she attempted to remain at a low decibel, I could easily pick up on the fact that Ronnie (and maybe Lola) knew that Paul was my father.  And the jerks had even helped talk me into allowing him to knot me!  What kind of backward friends were they?!

I slammed the locker door shut with a loud clang and whipped my head around to stare down the shocked girls.  “Did you know?” I grilled them, trying to make my voice sound rough and interrogating, but it came out more like I was stressed out.  I mean, I was stressed out, but now was not the time to show it.

Lola wrinkled up her forehead in confusion, but Ronnie’s cheeks turned a light pink and she averted her gaze.  I’d called it.

She tried to open her mouth for some sort of lame-o excuse as to why she’d allowed a grown man to completely betray me, but I immediately began to walk off without giving her a chance to utter a single syllable.  I really don’t have the mental capabilities to deal with anymore fibs.

I beelined it for my AP English class, clutching my textbook and backpack in my claws.  Now that I knew what was inside of it, my backpack seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, that sealed envelope screaming out at me.  If I opened it, then it would most likely be some tiny piece of paper that spouted all this nonsense about how Paul had never meant to hurt me and about how he was so, so very sorry— wah, wah, wah!  Ugh, I can’t wait to read it…

I took a seat at my desk in the back of the classroom, totally aware of how all of the other students turned around to give me either a look of sympathy or sheer repulsion.  I just hoped that the latter ones were from homophobia and not from knowing that I’d accidentally committed incest.  Shoot, I had every right to be frustrated at Paul because I’d heard that some states require people to register as sex offenders if they commit incest.  I really hope California isn’t one of those places.  I will legit jump in front of fast-moving traffic before I have to knock on doors in a brand new neighborhood to introduce myself as a registered sexual predator.  

Oh God, my life is over.

The bell rang and the teacher began his lesson, droning on and on about _Nineteen Eighty-Four_ , but I’d already read the whole book so I willed myself to stare out the window of the classroom so that I could pay attention to the numerous trees of the nearby forest instead of memories of a certain werewolf whom I was related to.  It had finally started to rain and as I gazed longingly at the flora outside, I could’ve sworn that I saw something lurking in the far off shadows… w-was Paul keeping an inappropriate eye on me?

Son of a—!

I can’t even look at the forest without thinking of him!  Inwardly groaning, I snatched the envelope out of my backpack and opened it using my pen.  I couldn’t ignore it anymore, the piece of paper tantalizingly calling my name and begging me to take a peek.  Paul had written me a one-page letter in loopy blue ink, utilizing that chicken scratch of his that was difficult to decipher.  With a quick scan of the classroom to ensure that no one was looking my way or butting into my business, I read the piece of paper that had cross-crossing crevices across it.

_Darren,_

_My love, my heart, my world— Words cannot explain how deeply sorry I am that I lied to you and that I hurt you.  No matter what happens in the future, the memory of seeing you so disappointed in me will forever be burned into my nightmares.  But I know that I deserve it._

_Baby, I hate myself too so fucking much.  I wish that I would’ve told you as soon as I found out so that we could’ve done this right.  But I have no clue what is right in a situation like this.  I have no idea why the bond decided for us to be together, like what kind of benefit a father + son relationship could have.  I’m not complaining that we’re matched together, please don’t think that, but I’m just curious.  And I think I know why:_

_All my life, I’ve cared about no one else but myself._

_Then you came along and I knew in that one instant when I saw you walking to school that you were my mate and that I was so madly in love with you and that I’d do anything for you.  I think the bond decided to pair us up because I needed to learn how to be a better man who was able to take care of a precious person such as you, my love._

_I know you have questions and I have answers for those.  Just please call me or come home so we can discuss this.  I promise I will make it better, I swear to you on everything that I own, Darren._

_I will make it up to you._

_I will figure out a way to make you happy.  Even if that means you don’t want to be my mate anymore and would rather just try out being father and son, I will give that a shot if that’s what you truly want.  Whatever you want, I’ll do it because I need you in my life somehow._

_I’ll give you your space for now and when you’re ready, just give me a call and I’ll come over or I’ll pick you up, whatever you want.  Then we’ll talk.  And I promise I’ll tell you the truth, Darren.  I will tell you anything and everything you want._

_Again, I am so, so sorry!  If I could do it all over again, I would’ve told you the truth as soon as I discovered it.  I shouldn’t have hidden this from you and I should’ve tried harder to tell you that I’m your father.  I just hope that in time you’ll forgive me._

_But if you don’t want to be with me anymore, then I understand.  But please keep in mind that I love you with all of my heart and that I promise I will find a way to make it better.  Please don’t give up on me yet._

_Love, Daddy_

I crumbled up the note into a little ball and tossed it back into my backpack without a second thought.

Paul had lied to me, and my friend had lied to me as well.  There was no doubt in my mind that everybody in the whole dang town was a big-nosed liar who would tell me whatever their Alpha had instructed them to.  It was crystal clear now that I cannot trust a single soul.

Still… Paul’s words swam around in my brain, his sad sentences pulling roughly at my heartstrings while I tried to ignored them.

**੨( ･᷄ ︵･᷅ )ｼ**

School had sucked, plain and simple.  

I used to love going to school.  It had been the one place in the whole world where I felt that I could excel by being myself.  However, the entire day was spent by myself in a gray cloud, avoiding stares from students and attempted conversations from pack members.

Paul’s note had asked me to call him so that we could talk, but I wasn’t sure if that was such a great idea.  Of course I had tons questions that I longed to ask him: When did he find out? Why didn’t he tell me? Who else knew? Was he sick in the head? However, I seriously doubted that he’d tell the truth given his track record.  It was hard since I wanted to talk to him and try to hear him out, but my conscience informed me that it wasn’t the wisest choice.  I was on the fence regarding what to do.

Do I ignore the werewolf for the rest of my life and continue to feel this gaping hole eating away in my chest? Or do I give in and risk having my heart trampled on all over again? 

Dang, even if I did give in and call Paul, he was my father!  What kind of relationship could we possibly have? It’s not like the two of us could go to some father-son picnic, totally carrying on like, “Hey Dad, remember when you fucked my ass?”  “Sure do, Son.”  *Shudder.

Wanting to avoid Paul, Ronnie, Ellie, Lola— pretty much the entire population of Crescent City— I remained hidden in the library for an hour after school let out, allowing most of the student body and faculty to leave the premises before I made my way back to the house.

Once the coast was clear, I began my walk home, keeping my head bowed in my blue mood as I trudged along the sidewalk, crossing the street at one of the intersections.  Because I wasn’t paying too much attention, I must’ve crossed when it wasn’t my turn to because I felt a car’s metallic bumper lightly tap against my calves.  It wasn’t painful or anything, but the force of the vehicle was enough to make me lurch back in shock.

“Oh!  I’m so sorry!” I hurriedly panicked, hoping that I didn’t dent their car with my body.  I ripped my earbuds out so that I could properly apologize to the driver of the vehicle and offer any insurance information if they requested it.  Due to the heavy rain and the fact that it was an hour after school had let out, the streets were completely deserted, leaving me with no witnesses if the driver became irate.

The car door swung open and I could barely make out the shape of a tall, young man stepping out into the rain.  The heavy downpour accentuated his silhouette, making him look crazy huge and broad.  He was of course nowhere near as large as Daddy— erm, as _Paul_ (wow, I really need to break that habit), but he seemed to be on par with…

“Well there you are, Babe,” Vincent smirked at me as he tapped against the car roof with his talons.  “Ya know I drove all the way here from Texas just to get you?”

…!!!

My jaw dropped to the pavement and I nearly lost all control of my bodily functions as my psycho ex-boyfriend stared me down from his car that he’d totally tapped me with.  My backpack fell to the cement, landing in a large puddle as I trembled in my spot, instantaneously bursting out into sobs at my horrendous luck.  Vincent was here… how?

Vincent mock-frowned, his jaw clenched tightly as he fished something out from his back pocket.  “Aww, don’t cry, Darren,” he taunted.  “I’m here now, everything’s fine.”

_Scream!  Scream out for Daddy!_ the voice demanded, actually making some frickin’ sense right now.  But how pathetic would I look if I’d just tossed Paul out of my life, only to yell for his return when I was in danger? 

No, I am an independent young man, and I can do anything that I put my mind to.  That includes fighting off my crazy ex-boyfriend.

Vincent finally yanked a switchblade out from his pocket, pointing the sharp end at me as he narrowed his icy stare.  “Get the fuck in the car,” he growled, “or I’ll slit your throat right here, right now.”

…well, in hostage situations, I think the smartest thing to do is listen to one’s captor.  At least that’s what they say on _Law & Order_, I think.

I took one step towards the car, my eyesight blurry from all of the frightened tears that spilled out from my eyes like frantic waterfalls.  I was in so much trouble!  First I find out that the man I’m love with is my father, then I find out that said man knew all along and never told me, and now my mental ex-boyfriend finds me and threatens my life.

Why does life hate me so much?

This can’t the end of me!  I’m only seventeen and all I’ve witnessed in life was how terrible people were!  The man I’d grown to love and grown to trust with all of my being had completely betrayed me.  Even though he’d previously saved me time and time again, I felt that he wouldn’t bother right now.  Shoot, he was probably too busy chatting it up with Chris Hansen for all I knew!  But still, my instincts and the voice shrieked at me to use my brain for once.

_Call Daddy!_ the voice yelled, seemingly scratching at my skull in a panicked frenzy.

Fine!

I spun around on my heels and bolted down the sidewalk back towards the high school, taking in a deep breath of oxygen to prepare myself.  “Daddy!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, my throat instantly hurting as I employed all of my strength to be as loud as humanly possible.  “Daddy!  Help—!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Vincent yelled at me as he rushed up and caught me with ease, dragging my struggling form to his car.  “I came all the way here for you, so I’m not gonna leave without you!  Got it?”

“No!” I cried, trying to squirm out from his hold.  “Let me go!”

Vincent shoved me into the backseat of the car, slamming the door shut.  I’d been so close to it that the inside panel slammed roughly against the back of my head, shooting a barrage of colorful spots into my already tear-filled vision.  The car cabin seemed to spin as my head ached with immense pain and I slumped across the dirty backseat in a slump, landing on numerous fast food containers.

The roar of the engine roared out in my ears and my crippled body shifted to and fro as the car sped down the road.  This was it: I am going to die at the hands of my abusive ex-boyfriend.  After all of the drama and chaos that had occurred with my stepdad and my Daddy/Dad, I was going to be murdered by Vincent— a human.  Seriously, I’d survived werewolves only to be killed by a human.  That would be my luck.

“We’re gonna pack up your shit at your house,” Vincent announced as he floored the gas pedal all the way down the street, “and then we’ll go home.  I haven’t decided where yet, but as long as it’s just you and me, that’s what matters.”

I gulped and tried to straighten up in the back seat, but my head hurt so badly that I remained huddled in a tight ball, trembling in agony.

“And keep in mind, Babe,” he continued, “there’s no way I’m gonna let you go again.  You’re mine, ya hear me? And you’re gonna tell me who this ‘Daddy’ bitch is so that I can kick his ass for touching you.”

Vincent was the most violent person I’d ever come into contact with.  Plus, hate him or not, the fact that Vincent was threatening Paul sent shockwaves of panic throughout me.  If my ex-boyfriend harmed my Daddy— darn it!  If he harmed Paul in any way like he has me, then… dang it, I’ll be devastated.  As much as I really do not want to admit it: I still love Paul.

Oh man, I’m in love with my father.  I’m so, so fucking sick.  I hate him for lying to me, but that’s about it.  I’m so mad and hurt that he betrayed my trust, but at the end of the day, I’ve been in a depressed state all day because I love him and he’d lied.  But I still love him.  I mean, shoot, all my life I’d yearned for a father who would take care of me, be a best friend to me, and protect me from harm— Paul had done all of that (and more).

And I’d pushed him away and now I was getting taken away by Vincent.

And Paul was gone, and as much as I didn’t want to, I was so deeply in love with the irritating man.

That made me cry even harder in the backseat of the car.  I kept myself curled up in that tight ball as I sobbed, wishing more than anything and with all of my heart just one simple thing: That my Daddy was here.


	29. Kill V. Maim

“Kill V. Maim” - Grimes

_I did something bad / Maybe I was wrong / Sometimes people say that I’m a big time bomb / But I’m only a man / And I do what I can_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Paul’s POV]**

Darren hates me.

My own mate hates my guts, and rightfully so.

Both my inner wolf and I whimpered pathetically as I hid underneath the covers in my bedroom, all alone as we realized that we’d just lost the love of our lives because we were too fucking selfish to tell him the truth.  I knew that I should’ve told Darren that I was his father the second that I’d found out.  It would’ve been the right thing to do and it would’ve allowed him to figure out what he’d wanted to do from the start.

But I’d been too scared of what he’d think.

Darren was a smart and intuitive kid.  There was no way he hadn’t picked up on the fact that I carried a hard-on for him, even before I’d revealed my werewolf status to him.  Therefore, had I informed him that we were related before I’d had the chance to explain what “Mates” are, then he would’ve been straight up disgusted with me and everything that I stood for from the start without a second thought.  Had I waited until after the Run to tell him that I was both Daddy and Dad, then he would’ve rejected me… but I also made sure to keep the entire rejecting process a secret from him as well.

_We’re so selfish_ , my inner wolf sighed in self-hatred.  _Mate hates us so much._

I replayed the look of disappointment and betrayal written all over my baby’s face when stupid Jonathan told on me.  The way Darren’s jaw dropped and the way his shoulders fell as he looked at me.  I was supposed to be the man he could rely on for life, and I let him down in the worst way possible.

He’ll never forgive me, I just know it.  I’d even tried to lure him back to me with gifts and sweet note from the heart that took me five hours to perfect, but I still felt as if it hadn’t accurately described the way I felt.

Whenever I was with Darren, the world seemed brighter and I didn’t feel like such a fucking loser.  Even then, I knew that he was way out of my league and that I’d never done a single thing in my sad, pathetic life to ever come close to deserving him; but I love him so much.  He’s my entire world and I thought that by refusing to let him know that I’m his father would help him to allow those walls between us to collapse.  And they had for a little bit.  I’d finally gotten a glimpse at paradise with the love of my life, and then I fucked it all up spectacularly.

I— I just want him back so badly.

My chest felt so cold and hollow, like a giant chunk of myself had been torn away from my being.  I was so hollow, left a shell of a man without my Baby in my arms.  I know that I deserve everything’s that coming to me, but I need him.

I’d promised that I’d give him some space and wait for him to make a move, but I was growing so desperate.  For the millionth time, I dialed his number on my phone, holding it up to my scruffy face with shaky hands as I longed for him to answer, but I knew that he had turned his phone off since all of my other calls had automatically gone to voicemail.

“ _Um, h-hey, you’ve reached Darren Estrada_ ,” the recording played, allowing me to bask in the momentary glow that hearing his melodic voice gave me.  “ _I’m n-not available right now, but if you leave your name and number then I can call you back— well, I guess you don’t need to leave your number since I can just check the call logs.  And if I have your number saved, then you don’t need to leave your name either… oh man, I kinda went on a rant there, sorry.  How do I re-record this—?_ ”

The automated beep rang out, telling me to leave yet another message that would most likely be ignored.  But still, I was hopeful.

I cleared my thought and rubbed at my nose so that in case my love listened to his messages, then he wouldn’t be able to tell that I was such a wreck without him.  Seriously though, since he’d thrown me out of his life, I’d locked myself away in my bedroom and hid away from the entire world, not even bothering to eat, sleep, bathe, nothing.  I didn’t care about anything in the whole world.  My mate was gone.  Nothing else mattered.

“H-hey, Baby,” I croaked, my throat incredibly scratchy and sore from sobbing all night.  “It’s me again.  I, uh, I’m sorry for leaving all these messages and stuff.  B-but I really just wanted to check up on you and make sure that you’re doing well.  If it’s not too much to ask, could you please give me a ring or even just shoot me a text so that I know you’re at least safe? You know that I still love you with all my heart and that I’m so sorry about what I did—”

“ _The recipient’s voicemail is now full_ ,” the automated voice cut me off, making my call end.

My eyes were irritated and all dried up, preventing from crying anymore; but I’m sure I would have had I been able to.  This sucked ass.  I lost the love of my life all because I couldn’t pull my own head out of my ass, and now I’m mateless.

And I have no one else to blame but myself.  I hate me so fuckin’ much.

It’s all my fault that I’m all by myself right now, rotting away in a cold, empty apartment when all I really want is to just see my angel’s face one more time so that I can apologize face-to-face.

“I’m so sorry, Darren.” I dry-sobbed, continuing to hide my shame away in my bedroom, picking up on the lingering traces of my Baby from when he’d allowed me to knot him in here.

**(•̥́_•ૅू˳)**

**[Darren’s POV]**

I’m not exactly sure what I’d done in a past life in order to warrant such horrific luck, but it must’ve been some sort of high-profile crime.  During my short seventeen years on Earth, I’d been forced to deal with homophobia, physical abuse from loved ones, emotional abuse from family members, and incest with a werewolf.  Yeah, I must’ve been complete garbage.

My head throbbed like crazy as I was huddled in the back seat of the dirty car as Vincent sped down the road towards the Community.  He halted in front of the gate, punching in the code, the metal gates opening up with a rusty squeak that made my headache all the more worse.  Wait… h-how did he know the code to the gated community?

“How d-do you—?” I tried to ask, but the back of my head hurt so badly that I could barely get all of the words out of my mouth.  I was in so much trouble.  Not only was I mad at Paul for lying to me regarding us being father and son, but I was now the captive victim of my crazy ex-boyfriend.  It’s official: My life is terrible.

What’s worse was that I couldn’t help but wish that my Daddy was here to protect me and make everything all better.  Yes, I was so mad at Paul for his lies, but I was also so deeply in love with the jerk.  It was such a confusing feeling, being pissed off at the love of your life. 

I really needed to focus all of my mental energy on getting away from Vincent before he kills me though.  Sure enough, even from the backseat, I could tell that the guy was angry to the extreme, his knuckles an eerie bone-white as he squeezed the steering wheel so tightly that I could hear the plastic groan beneath his fingers.  His square jaw was clenched and his stubble that surrounded it totally complemented his asylum look along with the messy hair.  It looked as if the guy had literally driven to Crescent City from El Paso for me without stopping even once.  I hope that he at least took breaks to go to the restroom.

Vincent completely ignored my attempted question, flooring the gas pedal as we sped through the community at a dangerously high speed until he pulled up to the house, parking in the driveway next to Jonathan’s van.

H-how did he know exactly where I lived?

Something was obviously wrong here.  Vincent knew exactly where I lived in the gated community, and he’d even known the gate’s code to get in.  He hadn’t been stalking me, right? I mean, because if he had, then he’d know that I’d slept with my father as well.  Come to think of it, I honestly have no clue who knows for sure outside of myself, Paul, Jonathan, and Ronnie.  It was bad enough that my stepdad knew, but at least he was the one to break the news me… and not my real father, ugh.

This was bad, this was very bad.

“C’mon, let’s hurry up and get your stuff,” Vincent ordered as he kicked open his door.  “I wanna be on the road in ten, got it?”

My throat was bone dry with terror and my fingers were numb as I tried to get a strong grip onto the doorhandle to let myself out so that I could rush inside the house.  Once I get inside, I can… I don’t know.  Die? That seems the most likely, unfortunately.

Not wanting to start a big argument, I shakily opened up the car door and slipped out of the car.  Taking a quick look around the block, I was bummed to see that no one else was outside due to the heavy rain, meaning that I’d have no one to call the police for me.  I was in so much trouble, I know it.  Of course, thanks to my horrendous luck, I run into my ex right after I kick Paul out of my life— Paul, the one man who always had my back and protected me from harm.

This sucked.

“Hurry up!” Vincent barked when he realized how slow I was following behind him.  He looked insane with his dirty blond hair matted to his pale forehead in the downpour and his tank top was already soaked all the way through, clinging to his skin.  After spending a few weeks with Paul and getting used to his muscular bulk, Vincent now looked like a flower stem by comparison.  He was so tiny— much bigger than me, but way smaller than Paul.  It was crazy how the werewolf always seemed to dwarf people in my life.

“O-okay,” I stammered, quickening my pace, nearly losing my footing on the slick driveway.  I knew how wrong this situation was and how dangerous it was to be within five feet of the guy, but I could see his bulging arms flex with frustration as he stormed into my house… perhaps it would be smarter to just do as he says so that I won’t get hurt.  

Then when the timing is right and I get some solo time, I can call… *ahem, my Daddy and get him to rescue me (again).  Granted it appeared to be so hypocritical of me to push him away when I was mad at him only to call out for him when I needed help, but what else was I supposed to do?! Well, sure I could call the police, but I’m willing to bet that Paul would rush to my aid way faster than some random police officer.

I just… I just really wanted my Daddy right now. 

Despite how angry and hurt I’d been, I couldn’t silence the child inside of me who screamed out for Daddy to protect him.  Shoot, even the voice in the back of my head cried out for Paul.

_Get Daddy!  Daddy will save us!_ it yelled.

And for once, I totally agreed with him.  I really needed my Daddy here, and then we could figure out everything and work out the kinks later on.  But for now, I just really need Daddy here!

Vincent eyed the broken down front door, shrugging it off.  “Where’s your room?” he asked, glancing over this shoulder at me.  

“U-upstairs,” I squeaked.

The crazy dude in my house snatched a strong grip on my hand, my fingers immediately turning a sick shade of purple at his immense strength.  I winced as my arm was nearly yanked out of its socket as Vincent dragged me up the stairs, seemingly finding my bedroom without any help at all.  He kicked the door open and snorted as he took in its sad state.

“Find your suitcase and then pack up your shit,” he ordered, releasing my fingers which automatically went all tingly as my blood rushed back through them.  

“Wh-where are we going?” I stammered, unable to control my shaking body that appeared to vibrate rapidly out of fear.  Although Vincent was a lot smaller than Daddy/Paul and I hadn't seen him in a while, all of that terror and intimidation came back on the drop of a hat.  The very millisecond that my eyes rested on his pissed off form, I could feel my breath hitch and my blood freeze over in petrified horror.

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Vincent huffed as he literally ripped the drawers out from my dresser, slamming them down onto the ground so that my clothes were easily accessible.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) for me, most of my clothes were still at Daddy’s, so there wasn’t too much for me to have to gather up.

This was horrible!  Not only was Vincent here, and not only was I literally packing up my things to go with him, but I had no clue where on Earth he was planning on taking me.  For all I knew, he wasn’t even wanting to go back to El Paso!  

The phone that Daddy had purchased for me burned in my pocket, yelling at me to come up with some kind of distraction so that I could slip away and call Daddy.  I’d had the phone off all day so that I could be invisible, so hopefully the werewolf would be pleasantly pleased that I was calling and would pick up as soon as he hears it ringing.

But what to do about Vincent?

“I, uh, I h-have to go to the bathroom?” I meekly mumbled, feeling my face turn bright red with anticipation.

Vincent, who was digging through some cardboard boxes that I’d been too lazy to unpack, shrugged his shoulders.  “Hurry up,” he grunted.

I scampered out my bedroom and rushed down the hallway to the bathroom where I locked myself safely inside.  Once I was finally out of sight from my ex-boyfriend, I nearly collapsed onto the ground in sheer overwhelming fright.  Vincent was here… I couldn’t come up with a more terrifying statement than that.

My crazy ex-boyfriend was here to collect me.  And of course this all happens after I kick Daddy out of my life!  Darn it!

_Call Daddy!_ the voice in my head urged.  _You know that we don't stand a chance against Vincent!_

Oh man, that is so true.  I turned on my phone, cringing when it made that little beeping noise that signifies that its coming to life.  I flinched and strained my ears, praying that Vincent hadn’t overheard it.  All I had to do was call Daddy and ask him to come help me—

“What was that noise?” Vincent barked, slamming his fists on the other side of the door.  “Are you callin’ someone?”

Thank goodness I was in the bathroom, lest I lose all control of my bodily functions right now.  “N-no,” I lied, trying to open up the Messenger app so that I could send an S.O.S. text.

The beating on the door grew harder and harder until the wood splintered off its hinges and the door fell inside the bathroom, landing on me and making me topple onto the linoleum floor.  I barely had time to register what was going on before the weight of the door increased as Vincent stood on it, pinning me down so that he could snatch my phone out of my grasp.

“Seriously?” he roared, that irritated vein popping up on his forehead.  “After everything that I’ve done for you, you’re gonna call this ‘Daddy’ asshole? Really? I drove all the way here for you!  And this is how you repay me?!”

The painful weight of the door on top of me made me cry out and whimper like a pathetic child.  “I-I’m sorry!” I whined, tears springing out from my eyes.

“You’re gonna be,” he growled, tapping away at my phone.  “But first, I’m gonna call this jerk and let him know that you’re taken.”

…wait, really?

_What a dumbass!_ the voice laughed.

Shoot, even I knew that if Paul were to receive a phone call from the person threatening my life and referring to me as his, then the Alpha would go red-eyed insane.  Wow, things were finally starting to go my way, albeit inadvertently.

Vincent stepped off the door, allowing me to struggle to my feet as I gasped for breath.  He continued to tap away at my phone, bringing it up to his ear as he dialed Paul.  I cannot believe that he was being stupid enough to actually call the werewolf who had claimed me as his soulmate, and who was also my incest-loving father (uhh, I’m not used to saying that yet).

Paul must’ve answered really quickly because it didn’t take long for Vincent to start talking.  “Yes, is this the ‘Daddy’ loser who’s been talkin’ to my boy?” Vincent grunted, actually puffing out his small chest as he attempted to act tough.

Because I was standing in the background trying to regain my bearings, I couldn’t decipher exactly what Daddy was saying, but there was a loud tone and Vincent winced and had to hold the phone away from his ear.  Muffled roaring was audible on the receiver, and my heart warmed when I realized with glee that Daddy knew that I was in danger.

All I had to do was bide my time until he came to save me.

“Uhh,” Vincent groaned as he continued to get yelled at from the frustrated werewolf, “I, um, j-just wanted to tell you to stop talking to Darren, ‘cause he’s mine.  So yeah, bye.”  He hung up, his face beet red with embarrassment as he a tried to not look at me out of shame.

I shifted my weight between feet nervously as I twirled my fingers in front of me, anxiously awaiting further instructions from Vincent.  I had to move slowly while packing my stuff so that we wouldn’t leave the house anytime soon— the longer I took, the closer Daddy came to help me.

“C’mon, let’s get going,” Vincent muttered, locking onto my wrist and pulling me behind him so fast that I kept stumbling over my feet.  No!  I can’t leave now!  I have no clue exactly where he plans on going; Daddy would have no clue where to look for me!

“W-wait!” I panted.  “I haven’t finished p-packing yet!”

“I’ll buy you new crap,” my ex huffed, not slowing his speed as he dragged me down the stairs behind him.  The front door kept coming closer and closer, signifying that my end was extremely near and that I’d be completely and utterly screwed!

“No!” I cried, trying to stop in my place, but Vincent was much stronger than me.  “Please, no!”

“Shut up!” he barked, giving my arm a heavy tug that made me trip and stumble to the ground.  “Keep moving!”

This was bad— I could practically see the car from the broken-down door way.  My window of opportunity was rapidly closing and the end was near.  I would be taken away from Daddy and away from any kind of happiness in my life that would ever come.  Vincent is not safe to be with, there’s no doubt about that.  I need to get away from him and fast, by any means necessary.

_Fight back_ , the voice whispered.

What? Fight back?

I’ve never fought back once during one of mine and Vincent’s many, many fights in the past.  I’d always been too scared or too much in pain to even think about curling my fist and slamming it against the guy’s head.  Granted, now it sounded like a rather good idea, but I wasn’t sure if it’d work out in my favor.  How do I even fight?

I’ve never fought before!  I mean, I’ve watched plenty of karate movies and could perhaps imitate a couple of moves, but that didn’t offer me any kind of emotional guarantee!  But still, the thought of never seeing Daddy again sent a stab of pain throughout my core and made my fists clench on their own accord, getting me ready for my attack.

“Hi-yah!” I foolishly yelled out, tugging my arm out from Vincent’s grip and whacking the back of my ex’s head with my closed fist… but my thumb was curled inside of it, sounding out with a bone-snapping pop.  Pain rippled throughout my hand and arm, making my limb throb as I held onto it, cradling it to my chest as even more tears spilt out from my eyes.

Vincent, unaffected from my ‘beating’, cocked his eyebrow at me in confusion.  “What was that?” he scoffed.  “Did you seriously just try to hit me?”

My voice disappeared from my throat and I blindly stood in shock in front of the annoyed looking young man whose fingers twitched with rage.  No!  I’ll die if I don’t do something else!  This cannot be the end of me!  Not yet!  

I have to employ some sort of strategy right now.  Vincent may have height, size, muscles, and brute strength on his side.  But I have brains!

Without a second thought, I shoved my casted arm into Vincent’s nose, hearing that satisfying crack as red blood gushed down his face like a fountain.

“Fuck!” he roared out, grabbing at his bleeding face, stepping away from me momentarily as he made awkward and pained noises.  Taking advantage of the situation, I quickly leaned forward and grabbed my phone from his grasp before spinning around on my heels, bolting back upstairs.

Adrenaline was pumping wildly through my body, fueling my brain with much needed drive that encouraged me to keep moving.  All I had to do was barricade myself in my bedroom until the werewolf reinforcements arrived.  Then I’d be safe and then Daddy and I could work on ourselves.  But I can worry about that last part at a later time when my life’s not in jeopardy.

I made it to my bedroom and slammed the door shut, frantically glancing around the room for something to shove in front of it.  I couldn’t see a dang thing that would be heavy enough to prevent Vincent from coming inside and whooping my butt.  I could use my mattress, or I could stack some of the leftover cardboard boxes in the doorway— something would be better than nothing right now!

BOOM!

Vincent kicked the door open, letting it slam against the wall with a bang.  The dry wall had even cracked where it got smacked.  He stalked in, hands clenched and jaw tight, making his way to where I was.  “You’re not leaving me,” he growled through clenched teeth, his broken nose still oozing blood that dripped down to his chin.  Closer and closer he got to me, making my heart pound harder and harder. 

My bottom lip trembled and I began to whip my head, desperate to find a way out of this predicament.  My search was successful and I reached over to rip the desk lamp off its cord.  When I had it free in my hand, I swung it into the side of Vincent’s face, hearing that oh-so satisfying smack as his head jerked to the left.  Even more blood trickled from the gash above his eyebrow and he fell over onto the floor.  He fidgeted for a little, mainly in his legs, but it ceased and then he was still.

Oh shit!  

The desk lamp fell to the floor, right beside Vincent’s limp body.  My breathing grew raspy and I grasped at my short hair in frustration.  D-did I just kill my ex-boyfriend?! I’m not gonna go to prison, right? I’d be passed around in there with my soft, boyish features!  The only thing that came to mind for me to do was to call Daddy and tell him what happened.  I had no other plan at all.

I sprinted out of the bedroom and rushed back down the stairs in case Paul was already on his way and in the front yard.  I dialed his number on my phone and didn’t have to wait too long for him to pick up.

“ _Darren?_ ” he breathed into the receiver, sounding so incredibly fragile and broken, unlike anything I’ve ever heard from the authoritative man before.

My lips parted, but no sound came out.  I was in pain and shock from everything that’s been going on, and now that it appeared I finally had a second to calm down, my body was truly feeling the weight of the situation.

“ _Darren? Is that you, Baby?_ ”

For some reason (shock) I was unable to answer Daddy’s frantic questioning.  All I could do to let him know that I was there was make my breathing extra hard when it came out of my mouth.  There was a light thudding that I could of sworn I heard coming from upstairs— I should probably check that out.  Tiptoeing, I made my way back up the stairs and into my bedroom where I jolted back.

Vincent was gone.  In his place was a red-violet puddle of his blood that kind of looked like it was in the shape of a heart almost.  It expanded, starting to get soaked up in my rug.

“ _Baby? Darren, what the hell is going on? Are you safe?_ ”

Straining my ears, I could hear no trace of Vincent at all.  He was invisible, hiding in the shadows, probably looking at me as I stood in shock.  I jerked my head out of the room, looking down both ends of the hallway, but there was no trace of Vincent there either.  Then my eyes settled on the closet that had the door shut, hiding whatever was behind it from view.

“ _Baby, I’m on my way over right now.  Just stay on the phone with me, please._ ”

In a fury I dashed over to my closet, slamming the door open.  Pulling at my belongings blindly, I yanked them off the hangers, tossing them to the floor behind me.  I even dug through all the junk that had littered the ground, desperate to find any trace of Vincent.  But he wasn’t in the closet.

“V-Vincent?” I called out, attempting to make my voice sound even and not terrified.  I’m fairly positive that I failed.  The desk lamp was lying a couple feet away from me, the light bulb in shards next to it.  “I’m sorry.”  There was no sound except for my voice that be heard for miles.  I carefully lifted my foot, moving towards the lamp so as not to make any noise.  “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just got scared.”  I was getting closer; it was now within reaching distance.  “So why don’t you just tell me where you are.”  I bent down, picking up the weapon and tightening my grip on it, my knuckles turning white.  “Then we’ll just talk this over.  Okay?”

There was no response, but I could barely pick up on Daddy’s frantic questioning from the phone.

“Vincent?” I shuffled my feet over to the doorway, leaving the empty room.  He had to be somewhere else.  And upstairs too.  I flicked the switch for the hallway light, immediately raising the lamp in defense.  To my right were Jonathan’s room and the bathroom.  To the left was a dead end.

I went right, turning the doorknob to Jonathan’s room with caution.  The door knob squawked and I cringed.  However, the home was still dead silent.  No noise was being made at all.  When I heard the click of the door, I tapped on it, letting it slowly swing open.

My head slammed backwards with enough force to make me fall to the hard ground.  In a flash, Vincent hovered above me, holding his switchblade in front of me.  His face was bloodied on the side where I had hit him, his wound dripping even down onto my own face.  The warm liquid pooled under my eyes, running down the sides of my head.

Vincent smirked, his teeth glaring at me.  “One more time,” he spat, “I’m only gonna say this one more time: You are not leaving me.”

The knife caressed my skin, making me break out in gooseflesh at the cool touch.  “O-okay,” I whimpered.

Vincent nodded and stood up, offering me his hand.  I took it and pulled myself up, a little wobbly at first. The desk lamp was still in my free hand and I let it drop to the ground next to the phone that had fallen when I’d gotten socked.  I sniffed and wiped my nose on my sleeve.

“I can’t get rid of you,” I whispered.  “No matter what, you’ll always be there.”

All I got in response was a laugh.  Vincent wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because,” he smiled, “no matter what you do, who you tell, or where you go, I will always be there.  Always.”

I started to sob instantly.  Covering my eyes with my bloody hands, I let the tears rush out, even making incoherent noises as I tried to plead with Vincent to leave for good.  My body went limp and I felt the guy dragging me back down the stairs and out of the house.  I barely had time to even register the fact that he was stuffing me into the backseat of his car again, making my breath speed up in a frenzied panic.

No!  No, I can’t go away with Vincent!  Daddy’s supposed to be here to save me, and I’m getting into a car with my ex-boyfriend!  No!

With one last burst of energy, I tried to leap out of the car when Vincent unleashed one final brutal swing alongside my head.  My body crashed backwards into the car, all of the oxygen rushing out of my lungs as my entire being was on fire with pain.  I sobbed as I grabbed at my face that felt as if it were breaking apart into shattered pieces, my heart aching in tandem as I realized that I was in serious trouble.

Daddy wasn’t here and I was being taken away for good.

“Stop crying’, Babe,” Vincent said as he got in the driver’s seat and floored the car through the community, heading towards the exit.  “I’m here and we’re gonna be together forever.”

That only made me cry even more.  That, and I also cried because I really wanted my Daddy right now.  There was nothing else in the entire world that I wanted more than for Daddy to be right here, holding me and telling me that everything would be okay— shoot.

I don’t need anymore time or anything.  It’s obvious, and as sick as it seems written on paper, in my heart I know that I really want to be with Paul.  I love that irritating man who smirks too much and who lied to my face about being my father.  As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he was sort of my whole world.  

I’m in love with Paul Martinez, the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack who also happens to be my father.

I’m in love with Daddy, and it’s taken me this long to realize it.  And what a time to come to terms with it too, dang!  I should’ve figured this out way earlier— but still.  Right now, and I’m sure even later on, I don’t care if we’re related.  He lied to me and has to rebuild my trust, yes.  However, we can discuss on how he can do that at a later time.

All that matters right now is that we manage to figure out away for us to reunite.  Until then, I’ll just be busy being a sobbing mess, looking like a kid who was wailing their head off because they wanted their Daddy.  But that was also applicable to me as well: I really, REALLY wanted my Daddy.


	30. Unkinder (A Tougher Love)

****“Unkinder (A Tougher Love)” - Thumpers

_Getting our hair caught and teeth cut / Starting up wildfires / Making the Earth move around us / And in a landslide make tracks / Turning the hills inside out / We draw the first blood_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

The downpour had picked up, transforming into a full on thunderstorm that was so powerful that the raindrops on the windshield looked as if someone was directing their hose at it.  No matter how fast the wipers were running, it was extremely difficult to see out the window.  That, coupled with the darkening sky as the day drew on, made it next to impossible to see the road ahead.  
 ****

I kept trying to take a peek out the rear window, praying that I’d see a certain Alpha werewolf racing after the car like a lover in a romantic comedy.  Unfortunately, it was always just the barren, wet road that my eyes scanned.  There was no sign of Daddy at all.

My heart fell at the realization that, although Daddy knew that I was in grave danger and could potentially be killed later tonight, he had absolutely no clue where to find me.  I didn’t even know where to tell him to go.  Vincent had snatched my phone from me during our scuffle when he’d pushed me into the backseat of his car, so I had no way of informing the man of what was going on.

Luckily (kinda), the phone had rang nonstop for several miles, indicating that Paul had desperately tried to get in touch with me.  However, it was now silent, meaning that he either gave up and found a new mate with a cuter face, or he was out looking for me at the house.  I just hoped that he could track Vincent’s car’s scent in this crazy storm.

A large crack of lightening split through the black clouds, making me yelp in shock and increased fear.  I felt as if I’d go into cardiac arrest at any moment due in part to the tension I felt being in the same vehicle as my abusive ex-boyfriend and the superstorm that was brewing outside.

Vincent groaned from the driver’s seat, running a hand through his dirty blond hair.  “I think we gotta find a motel or something,” he muttered.  “I can barely see shit.”

A motel?

That was perfect!  If Vincent stops at a motel, then I can sneak a phone call to Daddy once he falls asleep, alerting him of my whereabouts so that he can come save me from this predicament that I’ve gotten myself into.  Seriously, I couldn’t help but think that if I’d just been upfront and honest with Paul about my hardships with Jonathan and Vincent from the beginning then I wouldn’t be in this car at all.  Granted it most likely would’ve put a hit out on my ex from the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack, I at least would be safe and sound… but I don’t think I should be one feeling bad about not being the one who was upfront and honest from the start, *cough.

However, I was surprised at how quickly I was willing to overlook that indiscretion from Daddy.  Perhaps it was a side-affect of the adrenaline that I was plagued with, trying with all of my heart to utilize whatever emotions I had in order to save myself.  No matter what, at the end of the day, Daddy was the best protector in the entire world for me.  Of course I wasn’t ready to wipe the slate completely clean with the man who was apparently my father; we would need to sit down and have a serious talk about how to move forward.  I mean, I love him and there’s no doubt that he loves me.  Meanwhile, trust was like… what kind of simile can I use to accurately describe its fragility? Um, it was like one of those priceless Fabergé eggs— ya know, one of those insanely expensive eggs rich people only purchase to show off how much money they can blow on superfluous items? Anyways, back to my enlightening statement: *ahem, Trust is like a Fabergé egg in which it’s so beautiful and precious, yet incredibly fragile; and once its broken, its pretty much gone forever.  Yeah, that’s some real prose material—

“Darren, are ya listenin’ to me?” Vincent barked from up front, snapping me out of my daydreaming.

“Wh-what?” I stammered, my busted hands trembling with fear.  My thumb on my right hand was still throbbing from when I’d tried to punch Vincent in the back of the head, but I could still move it so I don’t think that it was broken.

My ex rolled his eyes in the rearview mirror, easily staring me down and sending spears of terror throughout my core.  “I asked if you’d be alright with stopping at a motel,” he angrily repeated through clenched teeth.  Vincent never liked to have to say things more than once; it was one of his pet peeves.

“Oh,” I mumbled, thinking that it was a fantastic idea, “o-okay.  That sounds fine.”

He just grunted in response, dangerously jerking the steering wheel so that the tires screeched on the wet pavement as we careened towards the highway exit.  I wasn’t exactly sure where we were yet since I’d been lying in the backseat in an injured slump for the majority of the car ride.  I wasn’t even sure if we were still in California to be quite honest.

The area that we were in was stuffed to the brim with the familiar evergreen trees, but buildings were becoming increasingly sparse the further Vincent drove.  After about fifteen minutes of being off the highway, Vincent pulled up in front of a shabby looking building that had a neon sign that read “Motel”, except the M was flickering as its bulb was dying.  The motel looked even more run down than the abandoned one that Daddy’s Pack lived in, some of the windows boarded up with plywood and several broken beer bottles littering the cracked parking lot.  This place looked like a setting yanked straight out from a horror movie where the owner was some kind of ax-wielding psychopath who would murder me before they murdered Vincent because life would totally do me that way.

The car pulled into a vacant parking spot that was close to the manager’s office and Vincent turned it off, flashing the switchblade at me from over his shoulder.  “I’m bringin’ the phone,” he growled, stuffing it into his pocket.  “And if I see something funny, then don’t think I won’t run out here to teach you a lesson, got it?”

Swallowing the lump that was growing in my throat, I slowly nodded.

A sinister smile formed on his lips and the angry lines around his eyes faded to nothingness.  “Gimme a kiss before I go,” he smirked.

Immediately, I could feel bile rising up in my throat at the thought of having to lay a kiss on Vincent.  Not only was he disgusting and a psycho with absolutely zero social graces, but I think that I was still in a semi-relationship with Daddy… right? I mean, we never officially broke up and I think that I want one (after he makes it up to me, of course), so would kissing Vincent be technically classifiable as “Cheating”? I think so.

“Um,” I stalled, trying to come up with a legitimate excuse as to why I couldn’t kiss Vincent that wouldn’t lead to me getting punched again, “I, uh, have a cold.”  I even added the fakest cough at the end of my lie for emphasis.

Vincent’s smirk slowly fell from his face, flawlessly morphing into a scowl.  “Really?” he spat, twisting around and leaning over the driver’s seat, staring me down and making me feel incredibly small.  “Ya wanna know what I think? I’m beginnin’ to think that that Daddy jerk must’ve brainwashed ya.  Yeah, that must be it.”

I gulped and tried to curl into a tight little ball so that I could easily hide from his line of sight.  My heart wouldn’t stop assaulting my insides and I felt as if I’d throw up at any given second.  Shoot, even the voice inside my head was petrified silent for once, resulting in me feeling even more alone without Daddy than ever.

“And,” Vincent menacingly continued, leaning closer and closer to me, his rough hand brushing against my tear-stained cheek, “as your boyfriend, it’s my duty to take care of you.  Therefore, I s’pose the best course of action is to ‘Break the Spell’, if you will.”

…I’m not quite following him.  Daddy wasn’t a wizard, he was a werewolf.  What kind of spell could he possibly be talking about? And even if there was one, how would he, a human, break it? 

“Wh-what?” I panted.

Vincent chuckled to himself as he turned back around and fished his wallet out of the glove compartment.  “Oh Babe, you never were the brightest,” he snickered.  “Here’s the itinerary for tonight: I’m gonna pay for a room; we’re gonna go to said room; and then I’ll take a shower and when I come out, you better be on that hotel bed naked with your cheeks spread so that I can take what’s mine.  Understand?”

I spit up in my mouth, but forced myself to swallow the acidic gunk so that Vincent wouldn’t berate me for puking in his car.  This was bad, this was so, so bad!  I had to get out of here and quick!

“I, uh, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I muttered, already feeling a cold sweat breaking out on my panicked forehead.

“Oh? And why not?” Vincent grimaced, already beginning to make his way out of the car to go to the motel office.

“B-because,” I stuttered, “I, uh…” Darn it!  I couldn’t even come up with a good enough excuse under this extreme pressure!

He rolled his eyes.  “Whatever, maybe you’ll have an excuse by the time I get back,” he impatiently huffed as he leapt out of the car before turning to give me one last glare.  “And I mean it: I see any funny business, and I’ll have you pinned to the pavement in seconds.  Then I’ll just fuck you there.”

Man, talk about a threat— not only was he bullying me with the intimidating aspect of physical and sexual violence, but he was also appealing to the shy guy in me by inferring that he’d do it in public for everybody to watch… *shudder.

“O-okay, Vince,” I whispered, pushing my body even further into the seat cushions.

He smiled down at me.  “Okay, Babe,” he grinned.  “I’ll be right back… but first…”

Vincent slammed the driver’s side door and rushed to the back, flinging open my door and quickly leaning his torso inside.  The heavy rain filtered inside the car, rapidly drenching my face, rendering me temporarily blind.  Heavy and strong hands slammed themselves down onto either side of my head, making me yelp out in surprise and pain as my skin stung from the onslaught.  However, my sounds were instantly muffled when I felt Vincent force his rough, thin lips onto mine.  They were nothing like Daddy’s— no warmth and no gentleness at all.  Instead of any kind of pleasure, all I experienced was pain and agony as my ex-boyfriend forced an unwanted kiss onto me.  I tried to shake my head back and forth to get him away from me, but Vincent in response roughly bit down onto my lower lip, automatically piercing the flesh and drawing blood out.

After what seemed like an eternity of struggling to get the young man off of me, Vincent finally pulled away, a bloody smirk on his puffed out lips.  “That was nice,” he grinned before turning away to hurry inside the motel office.

I quickly closed the car door so that no more rain could come inside, and I checked the rearview mirror to gauge the damage to my bottom lip.  Vincent had bit down hard enough to make me bleed, but it didn’t look too bad— at least I wouldn’t need stitches.  So hey, there’s always a bright side… I’m so dead.

_Get back to Daddy_ , the voice whispered in a hushed tone, as if Vincent could hear him.

“Really?” I sarcastically scoffed, trying to keep myself from breaking down for the billionth time today.  “And just how am I supposed to do that?” Oh great, so not only was I kidnapped by a my ex-boyfriend and away from my Daddy, but I was now having a conversation with myself.  

Since when did I even start hearing voices anyway?

_I woke up when we met Daddy_ , the voice answered.

Woke up? What on Earth—? “What do you mean?” I breathed, my body shaking from both nerves and from my sweater retaining some of the cold rain water.

_Okay, Darren_ , the voice softly said.  _I’m gonna need you to do something that’s very difficult.  Something you’ve never done before in your short life: Think._

“Hey!” I whined, even smacking the side of my head in irritation, but all it did was make my headache even worse.  Okay, so maybe I don’t think too well.  Apparently, there’s a massive difference between book smart and just smart.  I may not know how to tell a grown man’s a werewolf or my father, but I can recite all of the elements in the lanthanide series.

_I honestly thought that you would’ve figured this out earlier, but obviously I was wrong._

Okay, okay.  So I start to hear a voice after Daddy and I met.  The voice had mentioned that he had been woken up thanks to Daddy.  So that must mean… Daddy must’ve struck a vein in my body when he bit me, causing massive internal bleeding which is resulting in a lack of blood flow to the brain, causing me to hear voices.

_Son of a bitch!  No you idiot!  Daddy is a werewolf and he’s your father, so…_

So… I can qualify for Werewolf Benefits that are offered by the U.S. Government?

_I’m your inner wolf!_ the voice roared out.

My resulting gasp was so big that I nearly sucked all of the oxygen out of the small car.  I have an inner wolf!  Of course, it all makes perfect sense now!  Daddy is my father and he’s a werewolf, so obviously some of his genetic make up would dwell inside of me as well.  This was great!  I must admit that at first, I’d been apprehensive about being a werewolf, but honestly right now it sounded like such a blessing given my situation.

_Whoa, whoa, hold up there_ , the voice said, and I could practically envision someone holding their hands up to me.  _I said that I was your inner wolf, I never said that you were a werewolf._

Huh?

_I’m not strong enough to take over_ , he shyly admitted.  _I think it’s because your human side is dominant.  Sorry Dude, but we can’t phase.  But, the good news is that you get the benefit of having me around twenty-four/seven._

That sucks.

_Fuck you too._

So apparently, I’m only half-werewolf, but that means that all I get is some annoying voice inside of my head that utters useless information!  I can’t even phase, so what’s the point?!  “M-maybe, I just have to draw you out,” I thought.

Yeah, that’s it!  I just have to concentrate with all of my might, and then maybe I can phase into a werewolf and eat Vincent, totally saving the day!

I tightly clenched my fists and focused all of my mental energy on a picture of Daddy in his wolf form, trying to get the idea of a werewolf burned into my mind.  “C’mon, c’mon!” I hissed to myself through gritted teeth as I tried to will all of my strength in that one moment.  I even held my breath as I focused, willing to do anything to turn into one of those fuzzy wolves that had quickly become a loving fixture in my life.

Then I felt something beginning to bubble up in my gut.

This was it!  I strained even harder, trying to force that pressure inside of me to the surface so that I could transform into a mighty werewolf that would be capable of fighting off any attacker, especially my ex-boyfriend.  I tightened up my core and strained with all of my might, more sweat dripping down my face as I attempted to force that pressure to grow, and it did until— I farted.

I really hate my life.

_I told you: We can’t phase.  I’m too weak_ , the voice giggled at my silliness.

I collapsed back down onto the back seat, panting as I tried to regain my breath.  Okay, so I wasn’t a werewolf, so there goes that idea.  I recalled that Vincent had mentioned that he’d wanted to take a shower when we got into the motel room, so maybe that would be my chance to make an emergency exit!  Yes, while he’s cleaning himself off and underneath the loud stream of water, I could easily sneak out of the room and steal his car.  Then I can drive back to Crescent City and find Daddy!

Then I’ll be safe!

Okay, so at least I finally have a game plan, and I came up with it all by myself without the assistance of an inner wolf or whatever.  Knowing that at least there was something that I could do in order to improve my situation made me breathe easier and allow my tiny muscles to unwind.

My semi-state of relaxation was instantaneously shattered as soon as Vincent flung my door open again, holding a card key in his talons.  “C’mon,” he impatiently ordered, signaling with a jerk of his head for me to get out of the vehicle.

Despite having a plan in mind, my body was still wrecked with nerves as I crawled out of the car.  The rain automatically drenched my clothes and I hurried behind Vincent as he ran up to a room on the lower floor that was rather close to the where we’d parked.  He swiped the card through the reader and a quiet beep sounded out before he shoved the door open.

We rushed inside and I nearly gagged at the strong stench of cigarette smoke that permeated the furniture in the motel room.  This place must’ve been quite cheap because the walls had its paint peeling and the bed was about the size of a twin bed, looking way too small to fit two people— although, I’m pretty sure that Daddy and I could have made it work since I would’ve slept on him more than likely.  But with Vincent, no way!

“I know that it’s a piece of shit,” Vincent admitted as he closed and locked the door behind us, “but it’s just for tonight until we get out of here.  I’m thinkin’ about Seattle.  How’s that sound?”

“Um, o-okay,” I mumbled, even nodding my head as I swallowed loudly.  My eyes kept honing in on the front door where I knew that on the other side was the car: my ticket to freedom.

Vincent took no notice to my staring and yawned loudly.  “I’m so fuckin’ tired,” he sleepily said.  “I’ve been driving for days.  Lemme shower real quick and you get undressed and wait for me on the bed, ‘kay?”

I silently nodded, not wanting my nervous voice to anger him.  I knew that the car was on the other side of the front door and that it was only a matter of minutes until I was safe and sound, but that still didn’t stop me from freaking out!

Vincent stomped over towards the door at the end of the room, evidently the bathroom.  He slammed it shut behind him and it wasn’t long until I overheard the sounds of rushing water as he brought the shower to life.

Now was my chance!

My veins ached as adrenaline seeped into them, sending my body into overdrive as I shot towards the telephone that rested on the nightstand next to the shoddy bed.  I picked it up, taken aback when I noticed that it was on a cord (I didn’t know that these phones were still produced), but ignored my bewilderment as I dialed Daddy’s number— one of the few phone numbers that I’d memorized by heart; the others included Mom’s, Vincent’s, and the Domino’s in El Paso.  I placed the phone to my face, nearly barfing when I could feel the skin oil from the past user’s face clinging to it.

“ _H-hello?_ ” I heard Daddy answer his cellphone, his voice sounding incredibly strained and broken.  It cracked during that one word and it was apparent that the poor man was on the verge of a mental breakdown.  In the background, I could barely pick up on the audible whooshing of wind, informing me that the man was outside, hopefully looking for me.

My heart did flips of joy as soon as I heard the Alpha’s deep voice, and although I was also torn apart with a shard of guilt, I was so relieved to finally hear him and know that the end of this nightmare was within my grasp.  “D-Daddy,” I whispered, fighting to keep my voice down so that Vincent wouldn’t be able to hear me from the bathroom.

“ _Baby?!_ ” Daddy gasped.  “ _Wh-where are you? Are you okay? Who are you with? Is it that asshole who called me earlier? What is going on?!”_

The werewolf spouted question after question, frightened for my well-being, totally confirming that despite him lying to me about being my father, he loved and cared for me very much.  That was blatantly obvious now.

“I-I don’t know where I am,” I quietly admitted.  “Listen, please Daddy.”  I took a shaky breath, feeling my hands beginning to shake like crazy as I prepared to reveal to the man I loved one of the deepest, darkest secrets that I’ve ever kept from the world.  “Um, I’ve b-been taken by Vincent, my ex-boyfriend.  He’s… not very nice.”

There was a low growl on the other end.  “ _What do you mean by that?_ ” Daddy demanded.

I knew deep down that I had to alert Daddy to my location somehow… I figured that if I called him from the motel, then he could just Google the phone number that showed in his call logs, and the search results would contain the address of the motel, right? It made sense in my head.  Anyways, I also knew that letting the man in on everything that’s been going on would help him to understand the direness of the situation at hand: I wasn’t safe, and I really needed his help.

Despite all of that, my face still burned with shame and embarrassment over my past mistake of an ex-boyfriend.  “H-he would beat me up,” I mumbled, even tucking my head to my chest as I finally admitted it, feeling no sort of weight being lifted off my shoulders whatsoever.  Instead, my humiliation soared to incredible heights and I wanted to just crawl into a hole and hide there forever.

Daddy’s growling grew louder and much more ferocious, his muttering incoherent.

“B-but Daddy, please listen,” I went on, “I don’t have much time.  I’m going to steal Vincent’s car keys and try to drive home, okay? I don’t know where I am though…”

Daddy took several deep breaths on the other line, trying to calm himself down.  “ _Just drive anywhere_ ,” he huffed.  “ _I’ll find you, no matter where you go.  Just get yourself out of there.  Now._ ”

My own breathing sped up and I began to prep myself to sprint out of the motel room.

“ _I’m already on my way, Baby.  Me and Patrick have been tracking the scent that we picked up at your old house, and we’re on our way, ‘kay.  Don’t worry.  Daddy’s on his way._ ”

That honestly did make me feel slightly better, knowing that Daddy was on his way to come rescue me.  I know that it totally was not helping out my image as an independent young man by having to rely on my father to come and bail me out of any hard situation that I’ve been faced with.  But I don’t really care at the moment— if Paul wanted to save me from Vincent, then who was I stop him?

The shower was still running and I could hear breaks in the water hitting the tub from Vincent most likely rinsing shampoo out of his hair, meaning that he was speeding along through his bathing routine.  I had to hang up and find the car keys before my window of opportunity closed forever, leaving me stuck with my ex-boyfriend,

Before I hung up though, I felt something bubble up from inside of me, bursting to the surface without any mental go ahead on my part.  “Daddy, I love you,” I whispered, cringing as soon as the words had left my mouth.

Now was so not the time to exchange pleasantries such as those!

Daddy’s breath hiked and I could envision a goofy smile forming on his handsome face.  “ _I love you too, Baby_ ,” he purred into the phone.  “ _Now, go to that car and get out of there, please.  I’ll see you soon, my love._ ”  Then he hung up.

I couldn’t allow myself to focus on the fuzzy feelings inside of my soul that came to life when Daddy told me that he loves me— I knew that he did, but it still felt good to hear it.  Anyways, what I really needed to do was to find the car keys so that I could escape.  

I quickly did a three-sixty in the small motel room, searching for the gleaming of metallic car keys, but they weren’t in sight.  Where could they be—?

Oh crud.

The keys were in Vincent’s back pocket, where he always keeps his car keys.  And they were in the bathroom, where Vincent was taking a shower.  

Therefore, I needed to find a way to sneak into the shower without him noticing so that I could put my escape plan into motion— w-well what could possibly go wrong?

_You could die a very painful death_ , the voice/inner wolf muttered nonchalantly.

Y-yeah, there’s that.  Oh God, please help me.  

Very slowly, I inched my way towards the bathroom, slowly opening up the door so that I could manage to stealthily steal the car keys from Vincent’s discarded pants… somehow.  The door was left unlocked and swung open with ease, the hinges not even squeaking the slightest bit unlike how I’d pictured them to due to the dilapidated state of the motel.  Okay, this would actually be easy—

The door bumped into something, and I heard Vincent grunt.

“What—?” he asked, grabbing a strong hold of the bathroom door and yanking it all the way open, standing before me in the dripping nude.  “What do you think you’re doing?”

I was speechless as I stood in the doorway, mouth agape, my eyes desperately scanning the linoleum floor for his dirty pants that he would often toss onto the ground during his shower… but they were clear across the bathroom behind him.  Of course it wouldn’t be that easy for me.  Again, my key to escape was (literally) blocked by my ex-boyfriend, morphing him into a great obstacle yet again trying to prevent me from reaching peak happiness.

But if I gave up and wussed out like everybody pretty much expected me to, then I’d never be able to see my Daddy ever again.  And then he’d never get the chance to make things up to me.  That would result in us never figuring out if we were ever going to try being a couple.  

Oh screw it!

Without a moment’s hesitation, I thrusted my foot forward, nailing Vincent where the sun doesn’t shine.  Immediately, he doubled over in agonized pain, and I utilized that to rush forward and shove all of my small body weight against him, sending him toppling backward into the bathtub.

Vincent fell down with a heated thud, instantly pelted with the shower water.  Slowly, like the bad guys on TV, he rose his head to stare me down, water dripping down his villainous face as he glared at me with daunting eyes.

“I’ma fuckin’ kill you for that,” he growled, making all of the blood drain from my face.  “Call me cliché, but if I can’t have you now, then we’ll be together in the after life.”  He lunged forward, struggling to get to his feet as bathwater dripped onto the floor.

I know that I haven’t been the most intelligent person in the world lately, but I figured that the smartest thing to do right now in this moment was to forget the stupid keys and just make a break for it.  Certainly, Vincent wouldn’t chase me down in the buff, right? Nevertheless, I spun around on my heels… and slipped in the pooling water on the motel floor from the open shower, viciously smashing my face against the bathroom wall as I fell.

Blood spouted out from my nose, matching the speed of the shower.  It dripped down my chin as I frantically crawled on my hands and knees towards the door to the outside, stopping at nothing.

I had to get out here… I had to make it back to Daddy somehow.

I finally made it to the door and winced as I stood back up onto my two feet, feeling incredibly sore and wobbly as I attempted to maneuver like a regular person.  Why was I so sucky at physical activities? I managed to fling the door wide open, frowning deeper when I saw that the downpour hadn’t let up in the least, the main road actually covered by a thick sheet of rainwater.

“Darren!” Vincent roared from the bathroom.  “I’m gonna kill you!”

With a terrified shriek that totally made me look like a chicken (maybe I’m a were-chicken instead of a werewolf…), I bolted out of the motel room, heading straight for the nearby forest.  I have no clue where I was going or what I was going to do— but I just had to make it out of here and back to Daddy.

Nothing else mattered.


	31. Face to the Floor

“Face to the Floor” - Chevelle

_Should we intervene / I hold this albatross / Like your face / Getting forced / To the floor / And either way / You’re way too close to it all_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Paul POV]**   
****

“ _Alpha!_ ” Patrick panted from behind me as we sprinted in our wolf forms through the surrounding woods.  “ _I-I’m having trouble keeping up!  C-can we please take a breather?_ ”  
 ****

There was no time to stop, not even for a damn second!  My Baby was in danger and it was partially my fault because I’d been too busy pouting like a fuckin’ idiot instead of keeping a protective eye on him like any good mate should.  I just— I just needed to get him back home where he’ll be safe and where I can make it up to him.

I just really needed a second chance to make it up to Darren and to show him that I can be the man he deserves.

“ _No!_ ” I snarled, shooting Patrick an annoyed glare, pissed that he’d even dared to ask for a break while my mate’s life was on the line.

His ears flattened and he had the decency to look ashamed.

The very second I’d received a phone call from that dumbass Vincent, I’d been a mission to rescue the love of my life and have him back safe in my loving arms.  I needed him to be okay— I won’t rest until he’s home safe where he belongs.

His old house had been empty, but there were definitely signs of a struggle with the bathroom door off its hinges and puddle of blood on his bedroom floor.  I’d sniffed it, and it luckily hadn’t been Darren’s; but I was still a nervous wreck.  All I’d been able to do was pick up a scent that I could follow, leading us North.

It was an hour or two until I’d received a phone call from my angel and I’d phased back into my human form to answer it.  During the entire phone call, Darren had spoken to me in such a hushed and shaky tone— he was scared and that pissed me and my inner wolf off.

_Find Mate!_ my wolf ordered, driving me forward after I looked up the phone number of the motel phone in which my Baby had called me from.  Apparently he was somewhere in Brookings, Oregon, which wasn’t too far away.  I could make it there in just under an hour if I keep up my pace.

Patrick and I continued to sprint through the dense forest, quickly passing the border into Oregon, making me a little anxious because of all of the other packs that dwelled in the area.

I just really hope that my Baby is smart enough to avoid going into the forest without me to protect him.  No, I’m sure he’s fine.  He’s a very intelligent kid after all.

And his Daddy’s on his way to come save him.  It won’t be long until I have him secured in my arms and am ready to make it up to him for lying.  I don’t have a set plan on how to make things better yet, but I have to do something.  

I have to see that beautiful smile again, hear that melodic laugh once more.  I need to feel the soft skin of my Baby’s against mine as we make love, relishing in his moans of pleasure as I thrust into him, claiming him as all mine and no one else’s.

I need my Baby, and that desperate craving fueled me to go even faster, pushing speeds that were even out of the ordinary for a werewolf.

Don’t worry, Darren.  Daddy’s on his way!

**====(ﾉ゜д゜)ﾂ**

**[Darren POV]**

I’d always envisioned myself dying when I’m in my early fifties due to the obscene amounts of junk food that I consume on a daily basis— and I was more than okay with that!  
 ****

Never in my wildest dreams had I ever guessed that I’d be straight up murdered in the rainy forest by the hands of my psycho ex-boyfriend who’d driven halfway across the Continental United States to get me.  I suppose that under any other kind of circumstances, one would be enamored with the thought of someone traveling a vast amount of distance to find them, finding it quite romantic.  And it totally would have been… had it been someone else and someone a lot less violent.

However, my life seems to hate me for some unknown reason.  Thus, here I am: Bolting through the dark, scary forest in order to avoid certain death.

The heavy rain hadn’t let up in the slightest, blinding me as I whipped through the dense evergreens, attempting to find some sort of shelter or even a bear cave that I could hide out in.  Everything looked the same!  The trees were all super tall, towering over most buildings that I’ve seen in my life; and there was no trail to follow.  I leapt over fallen logs and numerous rocks, always finding myself on pine needle-covered ground, sprinting through a nature maze as I tried to avoid capture.

My clothes were already soaked all the way through, making me shiver from a combination of fear and chills; also my lungs felt as if they were on fire.  I’d only been running for approximately two, maybe three, minutes and already my body was close to shutting down due to extreme exhaustion… I am so out of shape.

Dang, my nose was still dripping blood from my little scuffle in the motel room, staining my sweater and forcing me to pant as I gasped for air through my mouth.

My adrenaline was seeping deep into my veins, flowing entirely throughout my body and making my limbs tingle as I pumped my arms and forced my legs to fly in front of me.  I know that I wasn’t the fastest guy around, and I know that I wasn’t the most athletic… or the wisest when it came to survival skills… or a lot— A LOT of stuff.  I-I kinda went off on a tangent talking about my faults there.

Anyways, my heart beat rapidly in my chest, actually hurting my torso whenever I took in a deep breath.  The worst sensation that I experienced was the mind-numbing fear that plagued me. 

I could barely even see straight (even if it hadn’t been raining), and my face constantly whipped around to survey the area, trying to make double-triple sure that Vincent was nowhere near me.  I’d ditched him in the motel room shower, but there wasn’t a doubt in my head that he was on his way to kick my butt.  Holy crud, I hadn’t even been this terrified during the Mating Run with Daddy.  That now seemed like a stroll through Disneyland compared to this screwed up version of cat-and-mouse.

I didn’t have a concrete plan in motion.  Shoot, all I knew was that if I kept running like crazy, that I’d eventually either die of exhaustion, get sliced up by my ex-boyfriend, or get rescued by Daddy.  I really hope and pray that it’s that last one.

“Darren!” Vincent screamed from somewhere behind me in the thick forest.  “You can’t outrun me!”  Okay, so maybe it’ll be the second option.

I couldn’t contain the scream of pure terror that erupted from me, causing my legs to pick up speed as I sprinted between trees and leapt over scattered rocks that littered the forest floor.

_Move your ass!_ the inner wolf of mine urged.  Despite him technically being a supernatural entity, he was just as frightened by Vincent as I was.  I could totally tell that he was shaking in his shoes as well.

“C-can’t you use some sort of werewolf radar/guiding system to alert Daddy to our location?” I panted… man, talking sure was difficult while running.  I was way too chicken to peep over my shoulder in order to gauge my ex’s position, therefore I just wished with all of my might that Daddy was semi-close to me.  That way, he and Patrick could just deal with Vincent while I continue to sprint towards freedom.  But seriously, some sort of Mate GPS would be perfect right about now.

_This is real life, Darren.  There’s no magic crap involved!_ the wolf scoffed.

Okay…

I had to think of something though before I was killed and had my body ditched in a shallow grave in the middle of nowhere!  I’d already phoned Daddy in the motel room, and he’d be able to track the number so that he could obtain the address.  Unfortunately, Vincent and I had been on the road for quite a while, therefore it was safe to assume that we were not even within the Crescent City Pack’s territory anymore.  Daddy ran fast, but I’ve never clocked his speed— it could potentially take him hours to find me!

“C’mon Darren, use your brain!” I hissed to myself as I continued to run.  I nearly tripped over a raised tree root, but miraculously managed to regain my footing.

Somehow, I had to alert Daddy to my surroundings.  Unfortunately, Vincent had taken my phone away from me and I severely lacked the ability to utilize telepathy.  All of that resulted to just one thing: I had to employ my knowledge of wolves in general.

My legs were getting sore from all of my running and my knees began to shake with every thumping of my feet.  No!  I cannot fall behind and lose my life!

Let’s see… um, w-wolves are mammals who live in packs and tend to have that entire alpha-omega social status.  While in the wild, they tend to communicate or locate one another by howling…

That’s it!

_Are you serious…_ the wolf murmured, finding this oddly amusing.

Yes, I am dead serious.  Perhaps if I attempt to howl, then wherever Daddy is, he can hear it and pick up on where I am.  I know that it’s a long stretch, but I’m growing desperate!

Quickly, I inhaled a deep breath of precious oxygen, even stopping momentarily so that I could take in more air so that I could be even louder.  That breath stretched out my lungs and I made sure to clear my throat so that I could get it out as clear as possible.  This was sort of my final idea, so if it fails, then it’s Goodbye Living.  I’m not prepared for that!

Tossing my head back, I unleashed the loudest cry for help that I could possibly muster.  “Arroooo!” I screamed, my voice cracking mid-howl, sounding more like a yelp from a prepubescent puppy than from the Alpha’s seventeen year-old mate.  The noise hardly traveled far and I cringed and felt so embarrassed that I’d even attempted such a stupid idea.

“The fuck are you doing?” I heard Vincent mock, trying to fight himself from laughing— it was evident in the shakiness of his voice.  What disturbed me even further was that his voice sounded eerily close, more like he was behind one of the multiple tress that I was standing by instead of several feet away.

Apparently, I’m too busy being an idiot while my life is literally on the line.

Shaking my cringe away, I pushed forward, stomping through the foliage as I ran for my life, trying with every fiber of my being to avoid capture by my possessive ex-boyfriend.  I could climb a tree and just hide up there while Vincent traverses the forest floor, keeping a watchful eye on him as he passes me by— but I’m way too out of shape to even begin to think about how I was going to shimmy up one of the massive redwoods.  There was no way I was going to try howling again since I didn’t want to die from humiliation instead of some kind of legitimate way, like stabbing or mauling.  The only option that was clear to me was continue to run like crazy, refusing to stop for any reason at all.

There was a fallen log a few feet in front of me, and I briefly wondered if I should run around it or if I should try to be all action-move hero and leap over it.  Since time was a very heavy factor right now, I employed the second method, placing both of my shaky hands on the rough and rotting bark as I approached it.  My body flung over the log, my eyes widening when it became clear to me that there was a massive drop-off behind it, resulting in a very steep incline.

“Oh crap!” I cursed as my body tumbled down the practically one-hundred degree hill like a rag doll.

I rolled as I fell, my brain getting all kinds of dazed as my head also thudded against countless rocks and sticks.  I crushed ferns and other plant life that clung to the hill, completely trampled by my falling body that was quickly becoming all battered and bruised.  Foolishly, I covered up my face with my hands, wanting my dead body to be at least identifiable, so I needed to avoid losing an eye or getting all swollen from a broken cheekbone.

With an oof!, I roughly landed flat on my back, facing the rainy canopy as I overheard the rushing river that was to my left… okay, so I’d fallen down a riverbank.  Why am I so uncoordinated? As I lied on the muddy forest floor, I experienced a sensation similar to sleep paralysis, in which I was frighteningly aware of my horrific surroundings and I could feel very droplet of the torrential rain, yet I couldn’t move a muscle nor utter a single syllable.

“Grrr….” 

A noise came from somewhere near me; across the river maybe? W-was it Daddy? Twigs snapping echoed out and I gritted my teeth as I fought with all of my inner strength to lift my head up.

With a deep groan of agony, I managed to prop myself up onto my elbows, surveying my surroundings.  Sure enough, I’d landed a couple of feet away from a river that flowed fast and had a sprinkling of gray rocks poking out of the white water.  The number of trees had died down around the banks, leaving me out of in the open for any kind of predator to see.  The warning that Daddy had given me around the time we’d first met echoed throughout my memory.

_“I want you to promise me that you’ll stay out of the forest.”_

To be honest, after he’d revealed his werewolf status to me, I’d been under the impression that that cryptic warning had been a ruse in order to keep me offtrack of finding out about Crescent City’s lycanthropy epidemic.  However, now as I was crippled on the forest floor and after I’d heard that ominous growl, I feared that the real reason Daddy had requested that I not go into the woods was because there lurked other monsters inside of it.  Plus, he had mentioned that me being the human mate to an Alpha put me at double risk of being attacked.

Why does my life suck?

“Oh my God!” I cried as soon as my eyes honed in on my right leg.  I lifted it up at the thigh, nearly blacking out as I witnessed the poor fact that my foot had been twisted all the way around during my fall, looking like it’d been attached to my ankle backwards.

Panic began to seep in as my adrenaline levels exploded through the roof.  My breathing morphed into hyperventilating and my eyes stung as even more tears threatened to spill out due to the immense pain that immediately thrusted itself upon me once my eyes landed on my injury and thanks to my incredible fear at this crazy day.  Vincent had frickin’ chased me down and after I’d fallen, I could’ve sworn that I’d heard something lurking in the woods… I really hope that I’d just hit my head way too hard and was imagining things as a side effect of a concussion.

I was dead, without a doubt.  In my mind, this would be the day in which I die.  Dang, and I hadn’t even experienced much in life.  I mean sure, I’d finally gotten the chance to witness true love (as tooth rottenly corny as that sounds) all because of my short time with Daddy— I suppose that’s enough to live for.

Yeah, when I really take the time to think about it, it really is.  Come to think of it, all my life I’d fantasized about what it’d be like to finally have a worthy father figure in my life, or what it’d be like to have a man in my life who would actually love me with all of his heart and soul.  

Paul had managed to knock both of those birds out with one stone— he was both my dad and my new lover… wow, that’s surely something that I can tell my future therapist if I survive.

Whatever though.  I can’t die today because I have Daddy to live for.

“Okay,” I breathed, shivering from the rainwater permeating every article of clothing I wore, “get up.”

Wincing, I clawed at the muddy ground, attempting to perform some demented crab walk, keeping my right leg elevated as I maneuvered across the riverbank at a snail’s pace.  My brand new injury was seriously hindering me, especially when coupled with my already broken arm… I wasn’t supposed to get my cast this wet, darn it.

The foliage rustled behind me, making me jerk in surprise, turning my head around to take a peek at whatever was moving around.

The downpour filtered out a majority of the other sounds in the forest, preventing me from picking up on any other noise that could offer a hint as to what animal/monster was keeping an eye on me.  I knew for a fact that it wasn’t Daddy because had it actually been him, he would’ve already had me safe in his hold the very second I’d toppled down the hill.  Again, Daddy’s warning echoed in the back of my head, making me cringe and whimper pathetically.  The dense flora was too thick to allow me to see anything that was around, plus my eyesight was kinda blurry from when I’d slammed my head on a rock during the fall.

“H-hello?” I trembled.  “Is anyone there?”

_Are you stupid?!_ the inner wolf gasped.  _Have you never seen a scary movie?_

No, I cannot make it through those at all; I’m far too chicken for that genre.  Regardless, there was something within my vicinity and whatever it was, it was keeping an irritated eye on me judging by the low growl it had unleashed.

I picked up my pace, leaving a long trail of pine needles and mud behind me as I tried to crawl over the rocks.  Dirt caked underneath my fingernails as I moved, and my leg had a burning sensation, reducing me to a blubbering and frightened mess as I tried to escape both my ex-boyfriend and the unknown creature in the woods.

I just had to get out of here and back to Daddy somehow.

“Darren!” Vincent yelled out, appearing at the top of the hill.  “There you are!”  He’d taken the time to yank his boxers back on at least, but he looked absolutely insane with his dark blond hair matted down to his forehead and his wild eyes staring me down, acting as target lasers.

Screaming out again, my body shifted into maximum overdrive as I clawed my way down the riverbank, desperately trying to get away at any cost necessary.  My heart was working overtime, causing a thick sweat to break out over my forehead, mixing in with the heavy raindrops that splashed all over me.  This was bad— there’s no other way to describe this situation.

I’ve never been more terrified or in such physical pain before in my short life.

Because he was much more physically fit than me, Vincent scaled the hillside with ease, making it down to the riverbank in a matter of seconds.  Shoulders squared and chest puffed out, he stomped over to where I lied on the ground, a deep scowl on his furious face.

“You’re really fuckin’ pissing me off, Darren,” he spat as he lurched forward, snatching a fistful of my hair in his rough hand.  He ignored my screams of turmoil, dragging my limp yet struggling body over the rushing river.  Once we were at the edge, he stopped and knelt down next to me, forcing his wet face into mine, our noses touching as our eyes met one another’s.

My erratic breathing was beginning to hurt my throat and I continued to cry out, the tiny child inside of me yelling out sadly for Daddy to come protect him.

“You know what?” he hissed, some of his spittle flying onto my face.  “Jonathan warned me that you’d try to put up a fight.  But I didn’t listen.  I know that we’re meant to be together, and I think he did too which was why he let me know exactly where you guys moved to.”

“Wha—?” I breathed, my mind assaulted with this new information that left me even more confused than normal.

Vincent snickered.  “You poor fool,” he chuckled.  “Jonathan can’t stand you, which was why he asked me to come collect you and get you out of his house.  But your mom needed some kind of legit excuse, which was why I made sure to post all of those posters around your school so that you’d get kicked out for bein’ gay.”

…I, uh, I suppose that does make perfect sense when I think about it.

“What I didn’t expect was for that ‘Daddy’ character to really be a pain in my ass,” he grunted, his fingers angrily flexing as soon as he mentioned Daddy.

I should’ve known that Jonathan and Vincent had been secretly working together to get me thrown out of the house.  I knew that Jonathan and Paul had some bad blood between them, but I had no clue that it would affect me in the long run!  I hadn’t even done a single thing to my stepdad!

“I’m only gonna ask you this once,” Vincent snarled, even holding up one finger for added emphasis, “are you gonna behave and come with me? Yes, or no?” His own frustrated breath wafted over my frozen face, warming up my facial features the smallest bit.  Because of his proximity, his nose kept nudging up against mine, but his was a lot larger and thus had more power behind every forceful bump, making me wince.

Obviously I cannot go anywhere with Vincent.  I wouldn’t last very long; he’ll kill me.  I just wish that I had the ability to travel back in time so that I could warn the past me to just wait and not date until he moves to Crescent City… and I’d let him know that the only guy who would show any nice interest was his father.  That would be a very awkward talk; no wonder why Paul had avoided the subject like the plague.  Despite that, I can’t live with Vincent because I won’t live.

And because I wasn’t his.  I’m Daddy’s.

“I’m n-not going anywhere with y-you,” I whispered, flinching when I saw Vincent’s eyes darken, almost as if all traces of humanity had drained out from his body, leaving him a monstrous husk of a man.

“Fine,” he sneered, his grip on my scalp tightening, “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

A fire ignited from somewhere within my gut, illuminating that tragic fight-or-flight response.  Normally, I’d always selected “Flight”, but I think because of my current predicament, I had to behave a little bit out of character.

Taking advantage of Vincent’s closeness, I opened my mouth wide and leaned forward, sinking my teeth into the soft flesh on my ex’s nose.

Vincent shrieked out in pain as he tried to jerk his head away from me, but my jaw was securely latched on, that clicking noise that he’d caused a while back sounding out like a lock.  His bitter blood began to pool in my mouth, making me gag, but I refused to lessen up on my hold.  Shoot, he even tried shoving me away and slapping at my already-numb face, but all to no avail.  I pretended to be like a great white shark, biting down onto my prey and refusing to lessen up until I won the fight—

“Motherfucker!” Vincent screamed, thrusting his knee forward, nailing me square in the testicles.

I’d never been kicked in the nuts before, but all I could say was: “Fuck!” as my body was overcome with searing pain.  Shoot, it felt as if my entire body was imploding in on itself at the groin area, even going so far as to affect my breathing, making me gasp and accidentally let go of Vincent’s face.  I could’ve sworn that my junk had been on fire due to the excruciating torment there— dang, I don’t care what anyone says, this has got to be the worst pain imaginable for a guy to ever go through.  In my painful daze as I doubled over, it took me a while to notice that I’d spat something out of my mouth… oh.  It was the tip of Vincent’s nose.

I coughed up my ex’s blood as soon as my frazzled eyes landed on his deformed face, seeing that hole on his nose that had been caused by me.  I-I don’t know what had come over me, but never before had I ever sought to purposely hurt him before today.  Dang, it really was a day of firsts.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you!” Vincent roared, using his hold on my hair to thrust my head down under the water of the nearby river.  

The ice cold water shocked me at first, stunning me a little bit.  The strong current added even more strain to my neck as I was held under face down.  My lungs began to burn as they were denied precious oxygen and I frantically clawed at Vincent’s hands that were behind my head.  It didn’t work— he was much, much stronger than me.

My body began to grow limp and I could feel my consciousness starting to slip as if I were lying down in bed for the night, a heavy weight being placed on my mind as I struggled against the hold of my ex-boyfriend who was trying to drown me in the river.  This was it.  I’m going to die now, I just know it.

My body tensed up as my muscles began to ache from the lack of air, my chest heaving as I stupidly gulped down a large mouthful of the river water in my frenzied panic.  Despite being underwater, I couldn’t prevent myself from crying out for Daddy, my gurgled screams muffled by the white water.

Then Vincent let go.  Not just that, but I could feel his hand rapidly retract and his entire body sprinting away from mine.  

Huh?

Immediately, I lifted my head up out of the river, spiting up water that I’d swallowed.  As I coughed and gasped for breath, I heard Vincent’s quick feet slap against the wet forest floor as he retreated.  He must’ve been pressing Olympic speeds because in no time flat he disappeared, ditching me in his wake.

What was going on—?

“Grrr!”

My body froze instantly and very shakily, I lifted my head even more, nearly messing myself at the sight that met me from across the narrow river.

Just on the other side of the rushing, white water was a dark brown wolf with matted fur.  Its deep red eyes stared me down and he licked his lips, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth.  He took one step forward, his long claws gleaming as he approached, detailing just how dangerous he was.

_Th-that’s not Daddy_ , my inner wolf whimpered, my fear spiking to levels unseen before.

Daddy’s earlier warning regarding staying out of the forest entered my head for another time, this time becoming a little bit more coherent.  Obviously the man had asked me to stay out of the forest, not to protect his Pack, but to protect me from the other monsters that lurked there.

“Um,” I mumbled, unsure how to go about this situation.  “Hey… h-how’s it goin’?” I even flashed a nervous smile at the growling wolf whose red eyes reminded me of the dark blood that had puddled up on my bedroom floor a couple of hours ago from when I’d hit Vincent with a lamp.

The wolf unleashed a loud snarl, his yellow fangs prominently displayed as he took another large step forward.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whined to no one in particular.

This, without a frickin’ doubt, is the worst day of my life.


	32. Reunion

“Reunion” - M83

_Across the time and space / A never-ending dance / A booming and a trance / You make me feel my soul / There’s no more loneliness / Only sparkles and sweat_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

**[Paul POV]**

It’s okay, it’s okay.  All I have to do is push forward, refusing to stop for even a mere second.  Then I can rescue my precious Baby from that asshole, grr, Vincent.  Then after I feed Patrick, I can spend the rest of my life making it up to the love of my life.  I don’t care what he asks me— I’ll do anything in the world to make him love me again.

Those images of his disappointed and betrayed face when he’d discovered that I am his blood-related father was forever burned into my brain, making both me and my inner wolf yelp out in pain every few minutes.  I was so, so very sorry.  I’ve never heard of a wolf outright lying to their mate about something so serious before, and I had no clue how I was going to make things right.  But still, I had to do something.

“ _Don’t worry, Alpha_ ,” Patrick panted.  “ _We’re almost to the motel.  I think it’s less than a mile away.  It’s okay._ ”  He struggled to keep up with me, but I was still way far ahead of him as we sprinted through the forest at high speeds in our wolf forms.

Poor Darren had called me earlier and I’d searched the phone number he’d phoned from, resulting in his location.  From then on, I was a man on a mission.  I couldn’t stop until my mate, my love, and my son was safe in my arms where he belongs.  And my desire to have him back and the incredible guilt that I felt helped to push me forward.  I knew with my entire mind and soul that I really needed to get to my angel back as quickly as possible.  Even if his ex-boyfriend (emphasis on “ex”) wasn’t a factor, we’re way outside of my territory line.  That meant there could be any kind of otherworldly creatures lurking in these parts of the woods: vamps, hunters, or even other werewolves.  With him being the human mate to an Alpha, any other werewolf pack would greatly benefit from either holding him hostage or taking him out.  

I cannot allow any of those to happen.  I need my Baby, and right now, he really needs his Daddy.

My ears flattening against my head in shame, I whimpered yet again, a little embarrassed that as an Alpha I was behaving more like a pup.  “ _No_ ,” I sighed, “ _it’s not okay.  You didn’t see the way he looked at me, Patrick.  My mate legit hates me._ ”

“ _I’m sure he doesn’t_ ,” Patrick attempted to console me, but he was still gasping for air as he tried with all of his might to keep up with me.  “ _I mean, look at me and Nicky.  He used to hate me, and now we’re madly in love._ ”

Eh, I suppose he does have a point there.  Although, come to think of it, I don’t know too much about his and Nicky’s relationship.  It wasn’t that I wasn’t interest, I’ve just been a little too preoccupied with trying to court my own mate/son.  “ _Um, how’d you manage to win him over?_ ” I wondered, genuinely curious lest it offer me some insight on how to make things better for my Baby and me.

The other wolf huffed and cleared his throat.  “ _Um_ ,” he paused, thinking over his words for some reason, “ _I, uh, j-just stepped up my game, ya know? H-have you tried seducing him?_ ”

As much as the thought of me trying to seduce my Baby put a goofy smile on my wolfish face, I don’t think that’d be the most appropriate action to take given how I’d knotted him before informing him that I’m his father.  However, despite all the turmoil and heartbreak that I was experiencing right now, there was a small glimmer of hope at the end of this shitty tunnel: My Baby, when he was immediately in danger, called his Daddy.

That must mean something!

I’m not just trying to grasp at straws or nothing, but seriously though.  When Darren needed help, he called me.  Unfortunately, I can’t really say if he’d called someone else before me… or a whole ass list of people before trying me out, but still!  My Baby called his Daddy— a move that I prayed was instinctual since it was honestly the smartest.  And no, I’m not just talking myself up (okay, maybe a tad bit), but I can say without a doubt in my heart that I am the man best suited for the job of protecting my Baby.  My inner wolf and I won’t stop until whatever threat to Darren that exists is eliminated.

The heavy rain drowned out a majority of the car noises from the nearby road, so I couldn’t quite tell how close to the general public we were right now.  The trees were still super thick, and I couldn’t see any sign of the motel yet, making me start to get really anxious.  So far, hours had gone by and I wasn’t any closer to finding my Baby!

This is bullshit!

What was worse was that the heavy rains even dampened the scents in the area, making it difficult to pick up anything at all besides mud, pine, and water.  I strained my senses for that delicious minty and cinnamon scent that my sweet Baby always has about him, smelling like luscious mint candies.  However, I couldn’t pick up on it, making me wince and push forward some more.

For what seemed like hours, although it could’ve just been a handful of minutes, Patrick and I tore through the massive forest, desperately searching for my Baby.

Patrick’s stomach gurgled loudly and he tensed up.  “ _H-hey? Smell that?_ ” he asked, his voice shaky from desire.

I stopped in place, raising my head to sniff at the surrounding air.  Once again, my nostrils were dominated with the bittersweet aroma of pine needles.  Although, the more I sniffed, the sooner I picked up on the faint trace of cigarettes and really cheap body spray.  Those nasty stenches were commingled with the sweaty hint of fear— something, or should I say someone, was in the area and they were afraid.

I knew that the owner of the scent wasn’t my mate, mainly because Darren doesn’t smoke cigarettes (I’d really hate to have to have a parental scolding if he ever did… that would be uncomfortable for the both of us) and because this scent was reminding me of garbage.  In fact, the scent was so repulsive to both me and my inner wolf that the more I smelt it, the more my fangs were bared and a deep growl rumbled in my chest.  I have no clue why, but the smell was really pissing me off and shooting off alarms which alerted my protective instincts.

“ _Is it Alpha Mate?_ ” Patrick wondered aloud, cocking his head to the side.

“ _Eww, of course not_ ,” I scoffed, although I was still a bit confused as to why my anger levels were spiking the closer the source of this scent traveled to us.  I could pick up a little bit on frantic footsteps beating down on the muddy forest floor at rapid pace (for a human).

_They might know where Mate is_ , my inner wolf piped up, urging me to uncover the source of the smell.

I strained my ears and followed the trail that the scent led me down, hopping over fallen trees and splashing through deep puddles.  Because humans run so slowly, it didn’t take too long until me and Patrick spotted a sweaty-looking young man with dirty blond hair sprinting through the woods, his pale face looking scared shitless as he crazily pumped his arms.

The guy was pretty tall (I’m taller) and he looked like he worked out (I’m larger), but he appeared like he was some high schooler given his acne-ridden face and lack of facial hair.  Now my Baby had told me that his ex-boyfriend had come to Crescent City to, grr, collect him.  I have no clue what that Vincent bitch looks like, but given that Darren’s only seventeen, then it’s safe to assume that his ex would be in his teen years as well— unless he had another Daddy before me…GGRRRR!

“ _Alpha?_ ” Patrick piped up.  “ _I really hate to ask this, but I’m so fuckin’ hungry.  Do you mind?_ ” Yeah, as an Alpha werewolf, I should’ve been horrified at the aspect of allowing a flesh-eating werewolf into my Pack, and I had been extremely hesitant at first.  However, when I’d checked up on Patrick and Nicky while the latter was in the hospital, I’d gotten a full glimpse of how devoted Patrick was to his human mate.  In my mind, if a man-eating wolf could take such good and loving care of his human mate, then I figured that the guy wasn’t too, too bad.

Plus, it hadn’t been a secret that Darren hadn’t been telling me everything (eh, I suppose that’s an inheritable trait).  It’d been obvious in the way my poor Baby had cringed and how shy he’d been.  Therefore, I knew that having a wolf in the Pack who had such a low regard for human life would come in handy.  To be honest, I’d guessed that I would’ve already sicked Patrick on Jonathan, but I’d already destroyed his hand, reducing it to just a bloody stump.  That’s good enough for me… at least until I figure out another way to prolong his suffering.  Maybe castration?

_Wait!_ my inner wolf barked, forcing my protective instincts to burst into flames.  _Smell that? Mint!_

Sure enough, with one deep inhale through my nostrils, the tasty and mouthwatering aroma of minty toothpaste and Pepsi wafted my way… my Baby!  This jerk had been in contact with my mate!

_Get him!_ my wolf demanded and I found myself bounding towards the frightened human who ran through the forest towards the main road.

The kid’s back was turned to me as he continued to dash away from whatever had scared him so badly, so he had no clue that I was trailing behind him.  The closer I got, the more I could smell the sweet scent of my beautiful mate clinging to the guy, pissing me off to the max.  My wolf shoved forward, narrowing my eyes at the guy as I caught up to him.  I wasn’t really sure exactly what to do, but all I knew was that I had to manage to find a way to get some information from him.

Very gently, I nudged the guy in the back with my snout, sending him toppling down onto the wet ground.  The mud clung to his clothes as he tumbled, and the multiple sticks and stones scratched up his ugly face a lot.

With a low groan of pain, the guy turned over to stare me down, his eyes going wide as soon as he took in my massive wolf form.

“H-holy shit!” he cried, holding his out in front of him.  “G-good dog!  St-stay back!”  The dude looked straight up petrified of me, snot dripping down his blubbering face and a his fear gauge bursting through the roof as his adrenaline wafted through the air.

Patrick’s stomach gurgled loudly again and he licked this jowls hungrily as he slowly paced back and forth in the background.

The minty scent of my Baby clung to the scared kid in front of me, making me bare my fangs and snarl at the guy, desperate to find my mate.  All that did was serve to make the guy cry out again, scared tears flowing down his pale face as I reduced him to a sobbing mess who feared for his life.

Unfortunately, speaking to the puny human in my wolf form would prove to be useless since he wouldn’t be able to understand me.  I also knew that if I phased back into my human form, then I’d break one of the most sacred of all Werewolf Laws: “Do Not Reveal the Existence of Werewolves”.  But my Baby was in danger, and I didn’t give a shit if I face some sort of retaliation from other Packs for phasing into my human form from my wolf form in front of a human.

I need my Baby back.  Now!

Standing above the loser, I popped my neck to the side, feeling my fur recede back into my body as I shrank and reverted back into my human form.  As I transformed, the boy’s eyes grew even wider and I smelt the bitter stench of piss, making me grimace and take a large step away from the nasty guy.

“Wh-what the fuck?” the young man gasped as he attempted to back away from me, but he quickly bumped into a large redwood, rendering him stuck as I stalked forward.  “What the fuck are you?!”

I rolled my eyes and fought hard with myself to not be snarky.  “Where’s my Baby?” I demanded, puffing out my chest and flexing my arms to look larger and much more intimidating.  I wasn’t trying to pat my own back, but I knew for a fact that both my wolf and human form could appear very threatening to any human that I come across.

The human knitted his eyes together, clutching at the tree bark behind him as he attempted to maintain an erect posture.  “Wh-who?” he stuttered.

So he either was trying to play dumb, or just was.  There was no doubt in my mind that this kid in front of me had come into contact with my Baby— his scent clung to him, which pissed me off a little more than it should’ve.

“Darren!” I roared, feeling my wolf trying to resurface.  “Where’s Darren?!” I stomped forward, leaning over the trembling human, baring my fangs and growling ferociously in order to scare him even further.  I didn’t have exact confirmation that this guy was that Vincent douche, but what were the odds?

The guy flinched and let out a pathetic whimper.  “I-I don’t know!” he stammered.  “There was this freaky big wolf with fuckin’ red eyes!  I had to get away!”

Big wolf?

Red eyes?!

For a brief moment, I glanced over at Patrick, noting his confused look— at least I could rule him out.  He was the only wolf I personally knew who had red eyes… which meant that my poor Baby was in danger.

Even more so!  Why can’t we just catch a fucking break?!

I snatched a fistful of the guy’s dry hair, making him cry out in pain as I tightened my fist so much that I pulled on his scalp.  “Where?” I barked.

“B-by the river!” the boy cried, his face burning red with agony.  “I left him by the river!  J-just please don’t hurt me!”  He held his trembling hands up in front of him, trying to use them as a stupid shied from an Alpha werewolf who’s Mate is in danger… heh, good luck.

_Did you hear that?_ my wolf pointed out, replaying the brat’s sniveling words again in my brain.  

Yeah, I did.  That idiot kid had just mentioned that he’d left Darren by the river.  Now I may not have graduated high school, nor have I ever done much with my life, but I was not unintelligent.  This fuckin’ cretin in front of me had technically just confirmed that he’s Vincent: The asshole who’d came all the way from Texas just to take my Baby away from his Daddy.

My lips curled and I could feel my claws elongate out of my fingers, growing to their full sharpness.  I crouched down beside the trembling boy, placing my other clawed hand on his shoulder and squeezing my nails deeply into his skin.

“Fuck!” he screamed out in agonized pain, especially when I twisted my fingers in his wounds.

“Are you the idiot who’s been hurting my Baby?” I snarled, although I already knew the answer.

Vincent’s eyes narrowed and he attempted to look tough as he willed his shallow breathing to even out.  “Your Baby?” he gasped, somehow putting two and two together.  “So… you’re his friend Paul?”

How the fuck did he know my name? The shock of his question made me jerk back for a second, even coughing a little bit.  However, I quickly regained my bearings and puffed out my larger chest with pride, smirking down at the kid.  “Not just that,” I sinisterly smiled, feeling my fangs poking out of my mouth.  “I’m not just that to _MY_ Darren, oh no.”

I tightened my grip on Vincent’s shoulder, his crimson blood squirting out like a fountain.  He gritted his teeth and yelped loudly, sounding even wimpier than one of the pups in the Pack.  How sad…

“I’m his Daddy,” I snarled, enjoying that utter look of terror on the bitch’s face.

To up the ante, I yanked my clenched fist downward, wanting to send extreme claw marks all the way down Vincent’s side so that he’d experience pain from my hands, making him know what’s like to be beaten down by someone larger than him— something my poor Baby knew all too well.  However, my super long and sharp claws snagged on something internal, and when I yanked my arm back with all of my strength to get myself free, the forest echoed out with a blood-curdling ripping noise.

“HOLY SHIT!” Vincent shrieked as I literally tore his left arm from his torso at the shoulder.  Blood gushed out of the mangled stump at the top of his torso and his amputated arm still spasmed as the muscles began to drain.  Some of his veins and nerve endings poked out, looking sort of like spaghetti noodles… hm, spaghetti does sound nice.  Maybe I’ll have to make it for my Baby after I rescue him? But still, I hadn’t intended on ripping the dude’s arm off, and my first instinct was to toss it off into the forest and recoil with disgust, waving my hands in front of me so that the rain could rinse them off.

“Eww!” I cringed, ignoring the screams from the now-deformed Vincent.  “Oh, uh, I mean, l-let that be a lesson to ya for fuckin’ with my Baby!”

Frickin’ Patrick’s tail began to wag like crazy as he darted off into the woods after the arm like it was a dog bone.  He’s got some problems…

“What the fuck?!” Vincent yelled as his face began to turn pale from all of the blood loss.  “The fuckin’ kid asked for it!  I was just—”

With a roar that made the earth shake, I rushed forward and pressed my hand against Vincent’s throat, effectively shutting him up.  “Don’t!” I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him.  “Don’t you ever fuckin’ speak that way about my boy again!  Ya hear me? ‘Cause he’s perfect, and there’s never been a time when he’s ever deserved any of the bullshit that you’ve put him through!”  I may not know the entire story, but it all makes sense to me now, unfortunately.  The reason why Darren was so reluctant to let me in at first, the reason why he’s so quiet, the reason why he’s passive, the reason why he shrinks down in the face of anything remotely scary-looking.

Vincent had broken him down and had shattered his self-esteem.

But now, Daddy’s here to build him back up.

I just have to find him first and make sure he’s safe.  I’ve had my fun tormenting the kid.  Now it’s time for Daddy to find his Baby and court him.  I have to get him back.

“Patrick!” I called out, hearing the bushes rustle until the large wolf bounded back onto the trail, carrying Vincent’s chewed up arm in his muzzle like it was a cool stick he’d found.  Turning my attention back to the frightened mess in front of me, I couldn’t help the smirk that formed on my lips.  “Because I’m a kind Alpha, I’m gonna have Patrick give you a five second head start.”  

I shoved myself away form him, nodding towards Patrick to indicate that it was chow time.

“Five!” I started as I began to head off into the direction in which I heard rushing water.  My Baby had to be there, and from what Idiot had mentioned, a rogue wolf must’ve been within the vicinity.  Eh, I probably shouldn’t have played with Patrick’s food, but I couldn’t resist; the need to avenge my Mate overpowered my rational side.

“W-wait!” Vincent stammered.  “You can’t leave me here!”

“Four!”

“Ya know what?” Vincent spat, chocking a bit as I heard the frustration bubbling up in his gut.  “Fuck you!  Fuck you and fuck that stupid brat!”

“Three!” I snarled, wanting to phase and devour the bitch myself, but I couldn’t waste anymore of my precious time.  I have to save my Baby!

“And ya wanna know what else?” he tried to taunt me.  “I’m his first!  And you can never take that away from me!  I had him before you did!”  Grr…

“One!” I roared.

“B-but you skipped ‘Two’— Holy shit!”  His screams of frustration rapidly morphed into cries of anguish, and then they eventually settled on bloody gurgles as I heard his flesh being torn apart under the hungry snarls of Patrick.  I didn’t look back since I didn’t want to throw up over seeing someone getting torn apart and swallowed, so I kept going forward.

I phased into my wolf form and began to sprint towards the river.

“ _Thanks, Alpha!_ ” Patrick hollered with his mouth full.  “ _He kinda tastes like shit, but it works!_ ”

Smirking, I continued to dash through the forest, proud that one more danger was out of my Baby’s life.  Jonathan’s hand had been destroyed so he wouldn’t be able to lay one on my Baby ever again, and now Vincent’s dead (literally, yay).  All that was left was this alleged wolf, a rogue who would absolutely be no match for an Alpha.

_Daddy’s coming, Baby!_

**ヽ( ･∀･)ﾉ┌┛Σ(ノ `Д´)ノ**

**[Darren POV]**

This was bad.  This was so, so bad!

I cannot even begin to explain how horrible this day has been for me.  To summarize, at the break of dawn, I’d still been totally mad at Daddy for lying to me.  That had completely ruined my day and had caused me to walk around being all bitter and sour like a lemon head.  Then I’d been kidnapped by Vincent: my crazy and possessive ex-boyfriend who used to love to put his hands on me.  As if that wasn’t enough, he’d driven me out of Daddy’s territory where it’d be rather difficult for me to be found and rescued in a timely manner.  Of course because my life hates me, I’d been chased through the forest by Vincent— only to run into this feral werewolf who stared me down with his blood red eyes.

The wolf continued to snarl menacingly, taking large steps forward, starting to walk through the river and not even giving the powerful current a second thought.

I trembled as I was stuck on the riverbank, my leg still mangled from my massive tumble I’d taken when I’d been running away from Vincent.  I could barely outrun a human, so how on Earth could I ever expect to outrun a werewolf?! I hadn’t even been able to outrun Daddy during the Mating Run!  I’m not the most athletic person in the world, so I might as well start writing my own eulogy right here, right now.

It really sucked too that Vincent had just ditched me here alone with the wolf, allowing him to escape and be free while I’d be turned into dog food.  Where’s the justice in that?

The wolf snarled again, licking his jowls as he approached.  His fur was dark brown and matted down, looking as if it hadn’t ever seen a brush in its wild life.  This werewolf must’ve been feral, or perhaps he didn’t belong to a Pack? I didn’t know too much about werewolf culture; Daddy had never taught me anything except for how to blow him!  Talk about priorities…

“Um, um…” I panicked, having no clue what to do in this kind of situation.  “I-I’m the Mate to the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack.  A-and I’m also the son of… the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack…”  I couldn't stop cringing the entire time I said that.  Yeah, maybe I should just let the wolf eat me.

The distance between us was quickly becoming smaller by the second as the wolf stalked forward.  The hair on his back was raised and his tail was all bristly, looking like he was ready to lunge at any given moment.

_At least you’ve lived an okay life_ , my inner wolf muttered.

No, no my life was not okay.  I’d grown up without having my father in my life, resulting in me constantly feeling as if there was some large part of me missing.  Obviously that gave Jonathan an opening to creep into my mom’s life (and mine as well).  He’d turned out to be human garbage and had made it his life’s mission to make me miserable all because of how my father had treated him during their childhood.  I’d been unable to be my true self because of Jonathan’s homophobia/inane hatred towards me.  He’d managed to turn my mother against me, isolating me from the one blood relative I knew.  Then my life turned even darker when I had met Vincent: the epitome of evil.  I’d tried to experience that forbidden love that had alluded me for so long throughout my life.  And unfortunately, my supposed Prince Charming had turned out to be the world’s worst villain, frequently beating me up, putting me down, and making me feel like no one would ever love me.  Lo and behold, I’d finally gained an out when Jonathan had moved him and me halfway across the country to Crescent City where a pack of werewolves live.  True to my bad luck, I’d entered into an incestuous relationship with my father (but I hadn’t known that he was my father until after we’d had sex).

A-and I should hate Paul for that (I am mad, don’t get me wrong), but dang it, I’m in love with him.

I should be cursing his name and destroying all the stuff he’s gotten for me, but I can’t.  Paul Martinez is my Daddy and my mate (and evidently my father), and I love him— and it’s that emotion that drives me forward.

I cannot give up because if I do, then I’ll never get to see Daddy ever again.

Clawing at the muddy ground, I tried to drag my mangled form along the riverbank so that I could try to escape the feral werewolf.  I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere very quickly, but it was the only idea that I seemed to be able to come up with.

“Grr!” the werewolf snarled, his foaming saliva pooling up near his gums.  He stomped forward some more, so close that there was probably only about ten feet in between us.  He towered over me, forcing me to crane my neck upwards in order to keep a watchful and terrified eye on him.

Daddy had previously mentioned that by being the Mate to an Alpha, that’d make me a large target for any rival Packs.  I don’t know what Daddy could have done in order to make this werewolf angry, but dang.  It must’ve been horrendous.

There has to be something else that I can do!  My heart beat rapidly in my chest and my breathing was a shallow wheezing, my throat already burning from hyperventilating.  I have to get out of here somehow— or, I wish that Daddy was here to save me from danger yet again.  I know that it totally makes me look all codependent by having to constantly rely on Daddy for safety; but I don’t care!

_There is one thing you can do_ , my inner wolf whispered, also trembling in fear underneath the glare of the unknown wolf.

I didn’t even need to ask for clarification to know what he was talking about.  I felt it deep inside of my core, my instincts telling me exactly what I needed to do in order to get saved and torn out of this predicament.

Taking in a deep gulp of oxygen, I inflated my lungs as I prepared myself to scream out loud.  Then, at the highest decibel that I could muster, I shouted out a loud, “Daddy!”

The werewolf leapt forward, his immense jaws open wide.

With a cry of horror, I instinctively brought up my arms to block the oncoming attack.  There was heavy pressure on my left arm, my cast feeling as if it were tightening as minor crunching noises sounded out.  Huh?

I hadn’t realized that I’d closed my eyes at first, but once I opened them, my jaw dropped in absolute terror as the werewolf chomped down onto the cast that covered my left arm.  Due to its hardness and thickness, I couldn’t feel any fangs stabbing my skin.  The cast must’ve surprised the wolf too as his red eyes widened in confusion at first.

“Haha!” I laughed out loud, trying to sound like I was all triumphant, but I’m fairly sure I failed.  “Yeah, that’s right!  You won’t be able to break through my cast!  Now just wait until my Daddy gets here—“

I was cut off when the werewolf snarled and began to thrash his massive head from side to side.  Like a rag doll, my body went limp as it was thrown around in the air, being dangled by my arm which as becoming increasingly sore with each shake of the werewolf’s fuzzy head.  I began to fear that my arm would be ripped off of my body as I was tossed about, my legs flying high up into the air.

“D-Daddy!” I cried out, my voice a shaky mess from being tossed around.

The wolf raised it head, flinging me up high into the air, before throwing me back down onto the rock-littered ground.  As soon as I hit, all of the air escaped from my lungs and I was left speechless and dazed.  My head hadn’t smacked against the ground, but my eyesight was all hazy and the world seemed to tilt back and forth as my brain was being jumbled around.  Holy moly, this thrashing made my scuffles with Vincent seem more like a playful game of tug-o-war by comparison.  There’s no doubt in my mind that more than my leg was now broken.

_You’re dead_ , the inner wolf sighed.  _I can’t believe I got stuck with you as a human._

I’m so glad that he’s able to utilize his poor sense of humor in times of peril.  Still, I couldn’t exactly fault him as it looked as if this really was the end of my pitiful life… man, what a waste.

“GGGRRRRRR!!!”

The wolf froze as the both of us glanced up the riverbank where the much louder, much more ferocious growl had erupted from.  There, perched up on the ledge with his black fur bristled and his humongous fangs bared, was Daddy.  And he looked pissed.

Seriously though, this totally would’ve been a nightmare-inducing scene had I not known the Alpha werewolf personally.  His muscular chest was puffed out with power and his paws had their claws unsheathed.  The claws themselves were insanely long, resembling some sort of weapon pulled straight out of a horror movie.  His fangs were on full display as he snarled at the feral wolf, and his yellow eyes honed in on him.  Despite being several feet away, it was easy to distinguish the incredible height difference between the two werewolves.  Daddy was the larger of the two, both in height and muscle tone.

My heart began to soar… at least I think.  I’m not too sure since my entire body was all numb from being slammed repeatedly against the hard ground.  However, my mind was able to function, and it was over the moon that Daddy had actually found me.  That mean that he does really care about me.

I must admit that there had been a tiny piece of me that had worried that all the man had wanted was my butt, and once he’d gotten it, he’d disappear.  Yet, there he was: On the riverbank, looking ready to save the day… two days after we’d already had sex.  I know that he had withheld the fact that he was my father from me (and we definitely need to talk about that), but he was here.

I cannot say that enough: Daddy was here!

In one fluid motion, Daddy leapt off the top of the steep riverbank, landing right in front of the wolf and me, still snarling wildly.  His yellow eyes scanned my destroyed body, his hackles rising even higher when he spotted my foot that was twisted all the way around.

The feral wolf who held my casted arm in his mouth took a step back, nearly whimpering out loud when Daddy took a step forward to match his movements.  I don’t speak werewolf, but I’m willing to bet that Daddy was saying something along the lines of, “Please let go of him because he’s my mate.”

_Yeah, it’s something along the lines of that_ , my inner wolf scoffed.

Daddy straightened his posture up to his full height, completely dwarfing the wild wolf.  His snarls were borderline deranged with fury as he took yet another step forward.

I could feel the feral wolf’s jaw shake a little bit underneath the glare from Daddy, and he quietly whimpered as well.  I couldn’t see his face from where I dangled, but I could assume that it was petrified, most likely with his ears flat and his tail between his hind legs.

Daddy raised his massive paw, preparing to go in for the kill.

The feral wolf yelped out of fear and immediately the pressure on my cast relaxed as he opened up his muzzle to let me go… but then he stopped.

“Wh-what?” I gasped, looking upwards to see what was up. 

The werewolf’s red eyes were darting back forth in thought, and it didn’t take a psychic to know what he was considering.  He and I, and perhaps the entire world, knew that he’d just attacked an Alpha’s mate; and said Alpha was standing right in front of him with his hind legs wound up as he was ready to attack.  Simple mathematics was all that was needed in order to calculate that the very second the wolf let’s me go, Daddy will destroy every trace of his being.

Daddy, growing impatient, did one of those fake-lunges in order to make the wolf get all intimidated.

It worked and the wolf leapt backward, yelping again as he began to fear the Alpha in front of him even more.  His red eyes continued to search the rainy forest all around him, trying to figure out the best way out of this situation.

“Pl-please,” I whimpered, trying my best to influence him into a direction that would best play out in my favor.  “J-just let me go, and I’ll ask him not to hurt you.”

The wolf stared blankly down at me, blinking wordlessly.

_He’s feral, you moron!_ my inner wolf barked.  _He can’t understand you!_

Well, there goes that idea.

The wolf finally stopped his search, and I could’ve sworn that I saw him smirk.. can dogs smirk? Either way, as soon as that malicious grin formed on his face, Daddy’s yellow eyes widened and he charged forward in an attempt to prevent whatever the wolf was thinking.

With another swing of his mighty head, the werewolf hurled my limp and numb body into the air.  As I was flying, I got a brief and blurry glimpse of Daddy slashing his giant paw along the side of the wolf’s face, creating a long gash that would be sure to scar.  The wolf howled out in pain before sprinting off into the thick forest, disappearing from view.

That was all I saw before I crashed into the freezing cold whitewater of the rushing river.

Immediately the strong current yanked me underwater, trapping me as I was flung about, smashing into rocks and being dragged.  My lungs began to burn as I held my breath, but with each bang from a boulder, I kept wanting to gasp for breath and would accidentally swallow mouthfuls of the bitter water.  To make matters worse, my useless left arm trailed lifelessly behind me, an immense of pain radiating from my protruding shoulder… okay, so my arm had been dislocated.  What else can go wrong? I probably shouldn’t have asked that…  My broken leg refused to move as well, preventing me from staying at the surface.

Every time my head miraculously managed to break through the surface of the water, I made sure to scream out, “Daddy!”  My eyesight was blurry from all of the water in my face, but from what I could make out, Daddy was there in his wolf form trying to keep up with me as he sprinted along the riverbank.

This was something ripped right out of a thriller: Me drowning in a rushing river as Daddy tries to keep up to me so that he can save me. Of course my life is like this.  I really miss some aspects of my old life when I’d just come home from school and spend hours on end online, doing absolutely nothing at all.

The water was freezing cold, penetrating my skin and chilling me to the bone.  I could barely think as I panicked under the water, frantically waving my good arm and kicking my good leg— but it was no use.  My useless body slammed against another rock, my head smacking up against it rather hard, making my vision go spotty.  Dang, it was one of those head smacks that I even felt in my teeth, my entire body throbbing as it was constantly beat up today.

My gargled screams for Daddy were muffled by the river water, and my chest began to ache as I  was denied oxygen.  My vision continued to darken by the minute as my mind started to slip, consciousness beginning to fade quickly.  My limbs were numb and I couldn’t feel a single thing, not even all of the rushing water around me, nor did I register that the back of my head had been slapped by a low-hanging tree branch until it’d already passed by.

This is it, I thought.  I’m finally going to die, after escaping both Vincent and the feral werewolf.  I’m going to die by drowning in a rushing river.  That really sucks.

But, but at least I got to see Daddy one last time, as melodramatic as it sounds.  At least I got to see my Daddy before I go, and it allowed me to know that he’s in love with me.  And I’m in love with him.  I’m still irked over what had happened, but I love the man.

I’m in love with my father.

The back of my sweater was tugged on roughly, and I began to notice that I was being pulled sideways through the river, out of the current and towards the shore.  Because of the multiple occasions in which my head had been slammed against rocks and sticks in the river, I was stuck in a daze, barely registering exactly what was happening.  It seemed as if every time I blinked, I missed a large chunk of time.

I was in the river, drowning to death.  Blink.  I was being pulled towards the shore.  Blink.  I was out of the river and shivering uncontrollably from the coldness that sank past my skin.  Blink.  Daddy was shaking me and crying out incoherently in his human form.  Blink.

“Baby!” Daddy cried, his voice cracky and hoarse.  He held me close to his naked body, my face being shoved into his warm chest.  The difference in our body temperatures was striking as soon as there was skin-to-skin contact, his touch feeling like fire.

I didn’t notice that I was spitting up water until it was all over Daddy’s chest… oops.  It didn’t seem to bother him though; instead he tightened his grip on me, cradling me like a baby to him.

“Oh, Baby!” he cooed as he rocked us back and forth.  “I got you.  Don’t worry, Daddy’s here.  Daddy’s got you.”

For the first time in two days, I felt myself relax and have my adrenaline levels finally start to die down.  The pain from my shoulder, head, and leg all crashed down onto me at once, making me wince and nearly blackout.  However, I allowed myself to go limp in Daddy’s hold, my instincts telling me that now that Daddy was here, I was perfectly safe… finally.

I’m finally safe with Daddy.

The rain picked up a little bit, larger raindrops splashing down onto my forehead, trailing down my face to my chin.  These ones were warmer and tasted a bit salty when they dripped over my lips.

“I-I thought I l-lost you,” Daddy sobbed, his deep voice sounding muffled as he tried to contain his emotions.  “I th-thought that you were gone and that I’d n-never get to hold you again.”

I was stunned silent.  Well that and my throat hurt like crazy due to the spitting up I’d just done.  All I managed to choke out was a simple, “Daddy…”  I don’t know what I wanted to say to the man.  I wanted to tell him that I love him.  I wanted to let him know that I really appreciated the fact that he came all this way to save me.  I wanted to berate him for keeping the fact that he’s my father away from me.  There was so much that I wanted to tell the man, but all I could do was utter, “Daddy.”

Daddy pulled back slightly, his reddening face blocking out some of the rainwater as he looked down at me.  His eyes were puffy and tears welled up in them as he stared at my face, his full lips parted as he struggled to get the words out.

“B-Baby,” he whimpered, “I’m sorry.”

I could barely move and my vision kept getting darker, my head becoming too heavy to support on my own as I rested it on Daddy’s chest.

“I’m sorry, my Baby,” he repeated.  “For everything.  I should’ve taken you home with me as soon as Johnny broke your arm.  I should’ve told you from the start when I found out that I’m your father.  I should’ve waited to knot you.  Fuck, I should’ve gotten to you sooner.  I so sorry, Baby.”

I didn’t respond and instead nuzzled up to my Daddy, allowing the darkness to take over as I gradually lost consciousness.  I couldn’t help it.  After the entire ordeal today, I at once felt safe and sound in Daddy’s arms, and that was permitting my frazzled brain to finally rest.

“I love you, Baby,” Daddy murmured, and I felt my body shift as he stood up, keeping me secured in his hold as he began to carry me through the forest.  “I love you so, so much.”

I started to fall asleep, cuddling up close to my Daddy.  “I love you, Daddy,” I yawned as I passed out.

Daddy’s chest puffed out and he tightened his hold, nuzzling me as he carried me.  I know that he and I need to have a serious chat about things; but for now, I’m just going to enjoy the euphoria that being in Daddy’s arms give me.  I’ve never been in a place that seemed so safe.  As cheesy as it sounds, Daddy’s arms are my home.  I belong wrapped up in them.

The last thing I remember was hearing Daddy purr, “I love you.”


	33. Island

“Island” - The Starting Line

_But we’re in love / And that should be just fine / And it seems like things are only getting better / Well it seems like we can never catch a break / Just keep a hold on me / Don’t let go / If you float away_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

It took me a while to even register where I was.  
 ****

Upon waking, I first noticed that there was a loud beeping noise to my left sounding automatic, like it was keeping pace with something.  Whatever I was lying on was hard and really firm, providing almost no support for my lower back… although, I couldn’t really feel below my waist, so I wasn’t too bothered.  Come to think of it, I couldn’t really feel a majority of my body at all.

After blinking away some fuzziness, I slowly looked around the hospital room that I’d woken up in, nearly jerking back in shock for moment.  Honestly, the last thing that I remembered before finding myself here was the whole ordeal with Vincent, the feral werewolf, and then having Daddy come to rescue me out of the rushing river.  Man, talk about a day.

As I looked at my surroundings, I grimaced at both of my now-broken legs that were elevated in the air utilizing poles attached to the bed and cloth.  I remember my right foot twisting around when I’d fallen down the riverbank while trying to escape Vincent.  My left one must’ve gotten broken when the feral wolf had thrown me around like I was frickin’ ragdoll.  Both of my legs were covered with a lumpy white cast, meaning that I’d most likely have to be pushed around in a wheelchair for a month or two.   My left arm was also suspended in the air and encased in a brand new cast, this one a dark purple.  Dang, my right arm was the only limb I owned that hadn’t been destroyed recently… oh, actually my index finger was in a splint.

“Oh, you’re up,” I heard a small voice from the corner of the hospital room.

The voice had startled me at first, making me whip my head in its direction.  However, I must’ve been hocked up on some really good painkillers because it felt as if the room was on a swivel as I moved my head, giving the sensation of my eyes having to catch up.  Although I knew it wasn’t possible, I could’ve sworn that my eyeballs had been detached from their optic nerves since my eyesight was spinning all over the place.  Well, I had had my head smacked around on numerous objects such as rocks, sticks, the ground, etc.

Near the foot of my bed, there was a nurse in navy blue scrubs, checking out a clipboard that was in her hands.  She smiled over at me, her tired face alternating between me and the papers.  “You gave us quite a scare, Mr. Estrada,” she commented.  “And despite being beat up like this, you should really consider yourself lucky.  Not many people get attacked by a bear and live.”

A bear? Well, given the size of the feral werewolf and the ferociousness of Vincent, I suppose that was a clever cover-up concocted by the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack.

I tried to ask where Daddy was, but my mouth refused to work and I found myself straining to even part my lips.  Seriously, my teeth felt as if they’d been superglued together, and I grunted as I attempted to open my mouth.

“Relax,” the nurse yawned.  “Your jaw was fractured, so we had to wire it shut.  It’s going to be really difficult to speak or eat solid foods for at least six weeks.”

Dang, I’d really been battered up.

The nurse must’ve known my unspoken question though, because she nodded towards my left.  Slowly this time, I twisted my neck to look towards the wall, spotting Daddy right at my bedside.  He was asleep and had his large head resting on the bedrail, his right hand through the gap of the railing, clenching on tightly to the pale gray hospital gown that I was wearing.  He was dressed in a plain white t-shirt that clung to his powerful muscles, looking as if the thing was painted on— the heart rate monitor started to beep louder and with more speed as I perved out on Daddy’s muscles, making me avert my gaze.

“You’ve been out for two straight days,” the nurse said amusedly.  “And your father’s been right by your side the entire time.  This is the first time I think he’s even gotten some shut eye.”  She pursed her lips as she put the clipboard back on the counter at the far side of the room, turning to exit the room.  “That’s one dedicated man ya got there.  Wish I had one…”

Once the nurse was gone, I tried to get Paul’s attention.  It was rather difficult, given my broken limbs and lack of a voice.  Since he was on my left and my left arm was suspended, I couldn’t just go and tap him.

“Uh, Dah!” I grunted, having to speak through clenched teeth which was hard on its own.  However, my incredibly sore and dry throat was making it all the more difficult.  My life just sucks, plain and simple.

True to typical Daddy-fashion, the moment I made a vocal noise, Daddy perked up and was instantly awake.  This really must’ve been the first time he’d fallen asleep since I’d checked in here (apparently two days ago, dang) because his stubble was thicker than normal and he had dark bags underneath his eyes.

The second he saw me awake, Daddy lunged forward and tenderly wrapped one arm over my torso while snaking the other one behind my neck to pull me into a gentle hug.  Normally Daddy’s hugs were so tight that they’d leave me gasping for air, but since I was all bandaged up, this one was light as if he were afraid to further damage me.  He shoved his face into the crook of my neck, inhaling my scent as he shook a little bit.

“Oh, Baby,” he whimpered.  “I was so scared.”  His giant form carefully held me to him, refusing to loosen his grip for anything in the world.  It honestly felt so wonderful having the werewolf so close to me, and I wished that I could’ve reached out and held onto him as well, but figured that this was the next best thing.

Daddy pulled away for a brief moment, allowing me to get a full glimpse of his reddening face, his irritated eyes glistening from fresh tears threatening to spill down.  The sight of the Alpha succumbing to tears over me made me gasp, my heart thumping fast which in turn made the heart monitor even more annoying.

Stupid machine.

“Darren,” he breathed, “I am so, so very sorry.”

Even though the drugs that I was on made the fluorescent lights on the ceiling appear all rainbow-esque, my mental capacities were all there which allowed me to deduce that Paul was apologizing for not informing me earlier that he was both Daddy and Dad.  I was very mad at him still for withholding the truth from me, especially for not revealing it to me before we’d had sex.  However, there did exist a light inside of my heart that shone only for Daddy, and it grew in intensity with each passing day.

I think that the two of us should really talk, and what better time than the present?

“Mmm— urff… ugh.”  Having my jaw wired shut was seriously becoming an inconvenience and in such a short amount of time, wow.

Daddy bit down on his lower lip in thought for a moment, his eyes traveling up and down my incapacitated form.  “I’m not even sure if using a whiteboard would work with your broken finger,” he mused, running a hand through his thick hair.  “Um, I guess I can just take the time to explain some stuff?”

I nodded, wincing as the simple motion made my neck throb.  This was going to be one long, aggravating recovery.

Daddy huffed, rubbing his temples and looking at the door before quickly letting go of me so that he could close it shut so that no one could listen in on us.  He resumed his previous position with his arms around me, taking in a deep breath.

“Baby,” he sighed, “I met your mother when we were going to high school together.  I’d been in denial about my sexuality and was convinced that if… that if I managed to do it with a chick, then I’d miraculously be straight.”

Huh, that had never crossed my mind to be honest.  Well, I suppose that I’m gay enough that the idea of having sex with a girl wasn’t even a possibility for me.

“And well, I assume you know what happened next.  We went on a date and we had sex, but we didn’t use a condom because we were just some stupid kids back then.”  He groaned loudly, shutting his eyes tightly.  “B-but when I came, I almost phased, and it scared the shit outta Laura.  She was then sent off to Texas and we didn’t have anymore contact with one another.”

Daddy opened his eyes and commanded my full attention.

“I swear, Baby, I had no idea that I’d gotten her pregnant.  ‘Cause, if I did, then I would’ve been there for you all throughout the years— which is another thing I really wanna apologize for.”  He took in a shaky breath, popping his neck to the side in order to relieve whatever tension he felt at the moment.  “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there to protect you from Jonathan and from Vincent.  I mean it Darren, if I was involved back then, there’d be no way I’d allow Laura to let Jonathan anywhere near you… and there’d definitely be no way I’d let Vincent within one-hundred feet of you.”

In the past, I’d always wondered what it would’ve been like to have had my father in my life.  To be honest, I felt like Daddy had pegged my fantasies to a T because I’d envisioned there being no scuffles with Jonathan and no Vincent at all.  Although, given how far Daddy and I had pushed the boundaries of the father-son relationship and how I was his mate, I’m not sure it would’ve been such a great idea for him to have been in my life from the beginning.

But I guess I’ll never know.

“When… ya feh oot?” (“When did you find out?”) Darn it, I tried to ask the man when he’d found out that he was my father, but I couldn’t get the words out with my stupid broken jaw.  Ten bucks says that Vincent hadn’t even sustained any injuries at all… aside from him now missing the tip of his nose.  I hope I don’t catch some sort of disease from that.

Daddy’s lips pulled up into a fine smile at my silliness, and he scooted even closer to the bed.  “I found out after I picked you up from Port Steele when you’d gotten stranded,” he answered, surprising me that he’d actually understood me.  “Although, I gotta admit that I had a feeling something was up because, and I hope this doesn’t offend you Baby, but you didn’t inherit any of my traits at all.  You look a lot like your mom.”

Yeah, I kinda was more on the feminine side of the body-type spectrum.

“But when you shoved me Laura’s photo in my old yearbook, I knew that it was for sure.  I knew that you were my son.”

Had our timeline been based on the modern calendar with the B.C./A.D. eras, then it would be split up along the lines of “Before Paul Found Out” and “After Paul Found Out”.  Given that he’d uncovered the truth the night of the Port Steele fiasco, then there was a major imbalance on the timeline, resulting in a much larger chunk of time on the “After Paul Found Out” side.

“Why?” I panted, struggling to say the simplest of words from a combination of my jaw, the painkillers, and sheer exhaustion of the past events.  Even though they’d occurred days ago, my body was still so worn down that I believed that I could’ve napped for a couple more weeks.  Plus, there was something oddly comforting about having Daddy here that seemed to soothe all of my anxiety away, lulling me into a sleepy sense of security.

A pink hue formed on Daddy’s face and he avoided my gaze for a brief second.  “I, uh, I…” He began to mumble and I couldn’t hear a single thing that he was saying.

“Hmm?” I hummed.

Daddy’s shoulders slumped.  “I was bein’ selfish,” he repeated, “because I just… I just couldn’t bear the thought of losing you.”  He swallowed loudly, rubbing at his face as he attempted to keep his emotions in check.  “I mean, I was over the moon with having finally found my mate after years of being all by myself.  And then, as fate would have it, he happens to be my long-lost son.  Please don’t get me wrong.  I’m forever grateful that I got someone as perfect as you as my mate, Baby.  I was just upset because I thought that if you found out that the old man who was flirting with you was your father, then you’d want nothing to do with me at all.”

He kind of did have a point there, although, I suppose that I don’t really know how I would’ve reacted at that very moment had Daddy revealed the truth to me as soon as it’d became clear to him.  Granted, in the beginning, Daddy had been on the verge of getting me a brain aneurism with all of his persistence about me being his, so had I found out that he was my dad during that time, I probably would’ve just hopped into the nearest open grave.  Then again, and there’s no way I’d ever admit this vocally to anyone, given the loneliness that I’d been plagued with for most of my life, I’m willing to bet that he and I would’ve been able to find out a way to push past it.  I can’t really say for sure though because the way I felt about Daddy was vastly different than the feelings that I have for him in this very moment.

Although he’d virtually forced me into an incestuous relationship without telling me, I’m fairly sure that there might’ve been at least one or two hints that I’d skipped over.  Shoot, perhaps if I were just tad bit more perceptive, then I could’ve uncovered his dark secret all on my own.  Maybe…

Anyways, as I glanced over at the Alpha who’d remained faithfully by my side during my hospital stay, there was a fluttering in my ribcage and I could feel that cool relieving sensation wash over me.  As cringey as it sounds, I was so happy that Daddy was here right now with me.  Whether or not that proves that we’ll be together in the end, I don’t know.  I still think that we need to work things out because having him refuse to let me in on a vital piece of information out of sheer selfishness was a crucial black mark on his record.

I suppose time will just have to tell.

“I just want to say, Darren,” Daddy continued after swallowing loudly, “that I love you with all of my heart, and I don’t expect you to just up and forgive me like that.”  His sad eyes met mine once more as he clenched his jaw tightly.  “So I just wanna say that no matter what you choose to do, I’ll support it.”

Because I couldn’t speak well, I just cocked my eyebrow at his cryptic message.

Daddy nodded to himself, the hold that he had on my hospital gown tightening in his fist.  “If,” he began in a shaky voice, “y-you decide that you don’t… want me, then I won’t push you.  I’ll find a way to deal with you moving on with your own life, and I won’t force you into anything that you don’t want.”  He popped his neck once more, his arm muscles flexing as he tensed up.  “B-but because I think we both can agree that I can be somewhat of a selfish prick, I c-can’t just not have you in my life at all.  So, if you don’t wanna be my Baby, then I can just be your dad and that’s it.”

I stared up at him in shock.  Shoot, did Paul really have it in him to be just Dad and not Daddy?

“I h-have some money saved up so I can help you pay for your college.  And when the time comes for you to… grr, date other guys, I will keep my distance… somehow.”

I severely doubted that last remark, but wow.  Again, I didn’t have a dad growing up, and now that he’s actually here in front of me, he’s offering me what I’d always dreamed of as a child: A father.  It was a tempting offer to just have that platonic relationship with an older man who would behave as a life mentor and as someone who I could run to whenever I needed assistance with whatever.

Daddy stood up from his seat, hovering above me as he leaned forward.  “But,” he continued, a small smile forming on his full lips, “if you can possibly find it in your heart to forgive Daddy and be mine again, then I swear on my life, Darren, that I will make it up to you.  I’ll be the best Daddy and mate in the whole world and I’ll treat you like the treasure that you are.”

The older man looked so hopeful as he advertised this option to me, obviously being the one that he longed for.

“I’ll do whatever you want, Baby.  You know that I can take care of you, provide for you, and protect you.  I won’t let anyone hurt you and I’ll spend the rest of my days making you the happiest boy on the planet.  All of that simply because I love you with all my heart, much more than anyone else.”

I was stunned silent, having no clue what to choose at the moment.

I could weigh out the pros and cons of each option presented, but at the end of the day, a small part of me considered not doing that.

_Sometimes, you shouldn’t use your brain_ , my inner wolf piped up.  _Not that that’s a problem for you… but anyways, use your heart instead._

When I canceled out all the noise from my brain that kept displaying why being with Daddy beyond the normal father-son dynamic was a crime against nature, my heart screamed at me that I was madly in love with the man.

This really was turning into a Brain vs. Heart scenario.

Daddy cleared his throat, brushing a warm hand against my cheek.  “You don't have to decide right now, my love,” he cooed.  “Take all the time you need, at least until after your injuries heal, ‘cause I gotta let you know that there’s no way I’m going to be able to stay away from my Baby when he’s all banged up.  ‘Kay? Your Daddy’s gonna take really good care of you.”  He closed the rest of the distance between us, pressing his warm lips to my forehead, making the heart monitor scream loudly.

He was not playing fair.

Still though, I think that I could totally make it throughout the multiple weeks having Daddy waiting on me hand and foot as my injuries healed.  Having him really prove himself to me as a caregiver could potentially influence my decision.

I relaxed further into the mattress on the hospital bed, allowing my head to sink further into the thin pillow when a terrifying thought entered my head: Where was Vincent?!

My eyes shot open (oh, I didn't realize that I was beginning to fall asleep— these drugs are awesome) and looked at Daddy with fear written all over my features.  My heart beat picked up, the heart monitor totally ratting me out once again; man, I hate that thing!

“What is it, Baby?” Daddy worriedly asked, straightening his posture and puffing out his chest as he tried to look all threatening for the source of my fear.

Before I could answer, the room door swung open and Ronnie poked her head in.  “Justin said that he heard that he was awake,” she slowly said, giving me a cautious look, most likely because of how our last chat had gone down.  “So we just wanted to see how Alpha Mate was doing.”

Daddy, still keeping a tight hold onto my gown, nodded to her.  “He’s doing well, just really tired,” he answered.  “He needs his rest.”

She pursed her lips and gave me a sympathetic look.  “Okay,” she breathed, pausing at the door.  “Darren, I’m sorry.”  She then quickly retreated, closing the door shut behind her.  Eh, despite her knowing that Paul was also my father, I do suppose that it really wasn’t her place to tell me.  I can’t really hold a grudge against her, mainly because I seriously doubted that I’d be able to make anymore friends in my lifetime due to my shyness.  Plus, twenty bucks says that Daddy had forbade her from saying anything to me.

Once we were all alone, Daddy looked back down at me, knitting his eyebrows together.  “What has you scared, Baby?” he asked.  “You’re safe here, you know that, right? Daddy won’t let anyone hurt you ever again, I can promise you that.”  I suppose that was a point in Daddy’s favor because there’s no way I can deny that being with the man exponentially increases my safety.  After years of being beaten down, safety was something that I cherished.

“Err’s ‘incen?” (“Where’s Vincent?”) I panted, fearfully glancing towards the window lest Vincent was somehow crouching outside of it.  The last time I saw my ex-boyfriend, he’d ditched me with the man-eating werewolf who had tried to kill me… right after he himself had tried to kill me.

Daddy seemed to be trying to fight off a smirk.  “He’s been taken care of,” he grinned, staring off into the air for a moment.  “I can tell you all of the details, but I think it’s best if I just assure you that he’ll never bother you again, my love.”

I’m not stupid.

I know that Daddy is an Alpha werewolf with tons of connections and that the Crescent City Pack had ties with the local law enforcement.  Hence, it was safe to assume that anything could’ve happened to Vincent at the snap of Daddy’s fingers.  With that in mind, I’m putting my money on that Vincent was probably arrested and is currently in prison.  Talk about sweet justice.

_Dude, even I know that’s not what happened_ , my inner wolf scoffed. 

Judging by the smirk on Daddy’s face and the way he squared his broad shoulders, clarification dawned on me.  Oh…

That really shouldn’t make me feel good inside, but I couldn’t fight the weightless relief that lifted me up.  I didn’t consider myself to be a vengeful person or someone who would wish ill will  or even death on others, but dang!  The dude had followed me all the way over here from El Paso just to hurt me— if that’s not an excuse to take someone out, then I don’t know what is.  Either way, perhaps I was just morbid or maybe the painkillers were completely wiping my brain clean of any rationality, but I viewed Daddy as some sort of mystic protector who had helped to eliminate one of my most dangerous foes ever.

“De woof?” (“The wolf?”) I trembled, wanting to know what had happened to the feral werewolf who had attacked me by the river.  Last I remember, Daddy had sliced his face pretty badly, but I think he’d ran off into the forest.  Although, I was hopeful that one of the pack members had tracked him down so that I wouldn’t have to constantly look over my shoulder each and every time I went outside in Crescent City’s surroundings.

Daddy’s smirk fell and he grimaced, clenching his jaw again.  “Sorry, Baby,” he grunted, obviously pissed off about something.  “I couldn’t catch him and neither could Patrick.  But I had Rhett and Justin patrol the area, and they tracked the wolf’s sent heading South towards Eureka and Bodega Bay.  At least he’s not in our territory.”

I’m not too familiar with the geographical locations of California’s cities, but all I could do was pray that Bodega Bay was miles away from Crescent City so that my chances of being mauled by the feral werewolf would be lessened.

Still, I could see from the irritation written all over the man’s face that Daddy was extremely bothered that he hadn’t been able to personally eliminate the feral wolf who had attacked me.  All that did was strengthen the instinct within me that shouted out that Daddy was my ultimate protector.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Baby,” Daddy huffed, running hand through his messy hair.  “I should’ve figured out a way to track him down.  I can’t tell you how much it pisses me off that the asshole got away.”  He wouldn’t look me in the eye out of immense shame, taking this as a serious blow to his position as my mate/Daddy.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Daddy wished that he could’ve always been there right by my side to make sure that I was always safe… and his.

At the risk of sounding like a flip-flopper and a guy who needs a man around him twenty-four/seven, I couldn’t resist outstretching my right arm towards the man, my fingers brushing against his hand that had a fistful of my hospital gown.

“S’kay,” I mumbled, trying to put on a small smile for the defeated feeling man.

Daddy flinched and looked down at me, his eyes wide and his jaw dropping before a smile of his own formed on his handsome face.  “It’s really not,” he corrected, “but thanks for trying to cheer me up, Baby.”

There was something dwelling inside of my heart, and although I knew that I should really be trying to figure out whether or not I wanted to be with Daddy, it really pained me to see him so disappointed in himself.  As if my body had a separate will of its own, I found myself saying, “Woo a kizz may ku ‘appy?” (“Would a kiss make you happy?”)

My father somehow understood exactly what I was saying, even though I sounded both drugged out and slurring due to the painkillers and the wiring in my jaw.  His small smile grew in size and a scarlet blush formed on his face.

“It’s a nice start,” he grinned, closing his eyes and leaning down towards my own lips.

The second Daddy’s lips touched mine, my heart soared and I could barely feel the casts and restraints that were all over my body.  At the risk of sounding cheesy, he set my soul free and I was unable to come up with another instance in which I’d ever felt so happy and free.  I love this man, and I’m not sure if I should be with him due to his horrendous lie, but I can definitely kiss him all I want until I make my decision.

“I love you so much, Baby,” Daddy breathed, although I could hear the frown in his voice over not being able to full on make out due to my broken jaw, so he just peppered little kisses down my face and onto my neck.

“I luf oo tuh Dah-dee,” (“I love you too, Daddy”) I said.  My eyes closed as I enjoyed the physical sensations of the man’s stubble-framed lips claiming my body, and I even chuckled at the possessive growl he let out.

“Mine,” Daddy growled as his fangs scraped against my pulse zone, the heart monitor sounding more like a fire alarm now as my body got all turned on.

“What the fuck?!” 

Daddy pulled away and I cocked my eyebrow as we both looked in the direction of the doorway.  It was a good thing that I was in the hospital, because I swear I nearly died once my eyes rested on my pissed off mom.

I groaned and felt as if my face was about to burst into flames out of utter humiliation.  “Oh sheh.” (“Oh shit.”)


	34. Driven By Their Beating Hearts

“Driven By Their Beating Hearts” - A Silent Film

_There’s people / People going out of their mind / Right into each other’s arms / But I only want to be with you / With you_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

I would definitely be lying if I never admitted that ever since I’d moved to Crescent City, California, my life had been flipped upside down.    
 ****

Obviously, the first major change to my pathetic life had been the introduction to Paul/Daddy/Dad who had opened up my eyes to just how wonderful love could be.  I know that it totally sounds all corny like it’d been ripped right out of a straight-to-DVD rom-com, but Daddy literally had proved to me through his blood, sweat, and tears (and other fluids) that love isn’t painful and that it’s actually something charitable between two people who deeply care for one another.  I can honesty say that I have strong compassion for the man… and he made it abundantly clear how he feels about me.

Next, I’d virtually come out of the closet, albeit to a select few.  Although the Crescent City Pack was the only group of individuals who knew about my sexuality (besides Vincent… but I suppose he no longer counts), that was still a pretty large number of people.  I’ve never experienced the freedom to be myself before; in the past, I used to crave normalcy and the ability to blend into the crowd like a chameleon.  I mean, there’s no way I’ll be prancing down the street shouting out my business for all to hear, but I finally wasn’t afraid of the ramifications if people uncovered the fact that I’m gay.  It’s not something that keeps me up at night anymore.

I’d learned how to stand up for myself.  I suppose that this bullet point is kind of worth half a point because I heavily relied on my Daddy to bail me out of dangerous situations, but still!  Call me a mob wife, but I failed to see the harm in asserting my dominance by a small fraction because I knew that anyone who wanted to push me around would have to answer to my Alpha Werewolf Daddy.  I mean, I’d tried to stand up to Jonathan when he’d attempted to kick me out of the house.  I hadn’t really made an impact on him myself, but he was swiftly taught not to mess with me anymore.  Plus, when it came down to Vincent, I was really proud of myself that I’d actually taken the initiative to fight back.  That had never happened back in El Paso— I’d been a complete and utter punching bag, taking each one of Vincent’s beatings like I was made specifically for them.

I had made love.  It hadn’t hurt and I’d felt so safe in the naked man’s embrace as he held me close to his hot body, refusing to allow space to come between us.  He’d made me cum and experience unselfish pleasure unlike ever before.  I’d felt like I was his to have and his alone; there’d been no regrets whatsoever.  I would gladly give myself to him again… I think.

There was so much that I truly appreciated about moving to Crescent City.  It’d really been a major turning point in my life, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

However, I would definitely change the fact that Mom and Daddy were in the same room right now, and that Mom had walked in on me and my father making out.

It’d been quite some time since I’d last seen my mother because she’d opted to stay in Texas in order to wrap things up at her job while Jonathan and I had traveled to California.  Then she’d had an accident and had broken her leg from falling down some stairs— sure enough, her left leg was covered by a bulky white cast.  Hey, we’re semi-matching!

Despite finally seeing my mother after such a lengthy amount of time, my heart fell and I began to tremble in the uncomfortable hospital bed.  “Uhh,” I droned, trying to come up with a legitimate excuse as to why she’d just seen my father sucking my face, “heh Ma.”  (“Hey, Mom.”)

Daddy’s upper lip began to curl over his fangs as he stared down my mother, and his grip on my hospital gown tightened.  “Laura,” he curtly nodded, sounding as if her name was dripping in toxins.  “Long time, no see.”

Mom narrowed her scrutinizing eyes at us, using her crutches to carry her further into the room.  I could barely make out large shadows on the hallway wall outside, indicating that the other pack members were totally eavesdropping and would without doubt be listening in on our conversation.

As she approached, Mom’s usually erect posture crumbled a tad bit as the Alpha glared at her.  “P-Paul?” she wondered aloud, rubbing at her eyes in disbelief.  “Wh-what are you doing here? And why are you with my son?”

Daddy’s strong jaw clenched and there was a slight growl beginning to form in his powerful chest.  “Someone had to keep an eye on Darren,” he countered.  “It’s obvious that you were way too busy.”

Dang, callin’ her out immediately.  Okay then…

Mom flinched but rolled her eyes as she attempted to look unfazed.  “Get away from my son, Martinez,” she spat.  “Why are you even here? And, *gag, why were you kissing him?” Oh yeah, Mom had no idea that I knew that Paul was my father.  She must’ve been on the verge of vomiting up her entire meal at the sight of father and son making out.  Poor woman.

“Mom,” I piped up, speaking slowly so that I could form coherent sentences with my wired jaw, “heez ery ‘elped me oot.”  (“He’s really helped me out.”)

“Huh?” she huffed, not understanding a single word I’d tried to say.

Daddy sharply exhaled and shook his head.  “Since he moved here,” he snarled, his eyes flashing yellow with rage, “I’ve kept a close eye on him to make sure that a certain asshole of a husband of yours wouldn’t put his hands on him… which he did.  But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

After taking one nervous look over at me, Mom stood her ground and craned her neck upwards to give her trademarked Mom-glare to Daddy.  “Look, Paul,” she hissed, “I know your dirty secret, so leave me and my son alone, or else I’ll blab to all of Northern California that monsters live in Crescent City.”

Oh, that would be bad.

Daddy’s tough demeanor faltered for a brief second, but he quickly re-squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest, his massive muscles straining the fabric of his shirt to bursting.  “The only reason why I’m not going to deal with that in the typical fashion is because Darren — I have no fuckin’ idea why — loves you,” he threatened, his voice deep and gravelly as he spoke.  “And until my boy dismisses me, I’m not leaving his side.”

Mom’s face turned green and she rolled her eyes in her classic way that she’d always done whenever I’d asked her for a lift to the library when I was younger.  “Be that as it may… gross… it’s only immediate family allowed in the ICU right now,” she spat.  “So…”  She pointed towards the door, giving Daddy an expectant look.

Daddy snorted and straightened his posture to its full height, towering over everything in the small hospital room.  “Nope,” he boomed, “I intend on staying by Darren’s side throughout his entire healing process.”

“Over my dead body!”

“Is that a request?”

My confused and drug-riddled head kept whipping back and forth between my mom and dad… wow, the first time I’ve ever witnessed both of my biological parents under the same roof, and they’re arguing with one another over my dad kissing me.  Then again, Mom didn’t know that Daddy and I knew, or that even Daddy knew that he had a son in general.  Therefore, we could just play dumb and pretend that we had no clue that we were related.  Then that would in turn back Mom into a metaphorical corner, resulting in her having to come to terms with the fact that she’d lied to the both of us for seventeen years.

“Why can’ ee stah?” (“Why can’t he stay?”) I asked Mom, trying too look all puzzled and lost, which wasn’t too hard since I was seriously high off my rocker.

Mom flinched and tried very hard not to look me in the eye.  “Darren, shut up and let go of that man,” she ordered.

Huh? I looked over and realized that I’d somehow managed to swing my arm unconsciously out of the sling and had grabbed a strong hold of Daddy’s fingers so that he wouldn’t go away.  That was odd since I didn’t even remember doing so.

Still, although I knew that in my heart that I was still so pissed off at Daddy for lying to me, I kind of didn’t want him to leave me all alone with Mom and possibly Jonathan again.  My life had been utter garbage before he came into it.  That’s telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth, for real.

_Please don’t let Daddy leave_ , my inner wolf whimpered, sounding incredibly sad at the prospect of the man walking out on us.

Darn it, my mind was so confused with a swirl of emotions (totally complimented with the cocktail of painkillers that I was on).  I was angry at Daddy, fearful for Daddy’s departure, incredibly happy that Daddy was standing by my side, utterly humiliated that Mom had caught us kissing, relieved to see that my mom was okay after her fall, irritated that Mom hadn’t asked how I was yet, and so unbelievably giddy from all of these drugs that the doctors had given me.  Through all of that though, I was coherent enough to know that I didn’t want Daddy to walk out of the room.

Therefore, I tightened my grip on his index finger with all of my might.  I looked my mom in the eye and slowly, making sure not to strain my already sore and stiff neck, shook my head.

Acting as if I’d just cussed her out, Mom’s eyes went wide and I swear that my face felt hot as she attempted to use some sort of mental powers to light me on fire.  “Darren!” she barked, her voice going all high pitched and shrill.  “I did not fly all the way here, in coach, to help Johnny with his fuckin’ stump hand, just to find out that you’re also here in the hospital and is all buddy-buddy with… Paul!”  The way she spat out Daddy’s name made it seem as if the name was repulsive to her, her bitter face matching the malice that tainted her voice.

Daddy snorted and rolled his eyes, muttering to himself something along the lines of, “…didn’t even come here for her own kid…”

Mom maneuvered herself closer to the hospital bed, having a little difficulty with her crutches.  When she finally made it to my side, she stared daggers at Daddy and clenched her soft jaw.  “Get out of here right now, Paul!” she cried.  “Or, I swear, I will call the police.  You’re not his family, so you have no right to be in here!”  She even stomped her good foot for emphasis.

“No, Ma!” I tried to beg, straining to open my mouth wider against the wires so that my mother would understand my desperate pleas.  “Peez!  I wan mah Dah-dee!”  (“Please!  I want my Daddy!”)

Throughout my mom’s tirade, Daddy managed to maintain his tall position with his shoulders squared.  He looked completely unaffected by her yelling, his Alpha position most likely adding a sense of self-security for the man… I wish I had some of that confidence.  Meanwhile, I was sinking lower and lower into the mattress, that heart monitor nearly at a constant earsplitting squeal due to my rapid pulse.

After giving me a reassuring wink, Daddy gently pulled his finger out of my grip, slowly stalking around the hospital bed.  The way he moved was drenched in full authoritarian power as his muscular bulk swayed from side to side, making Mom take an uncertain step away from the bed.

“Ya know what, Laura?” he sneered, giving her a smirk that told me that he had her right where he wanted her.  “You seem to be a bit confused.  Let me tell you why.”  He stopped just a foot away from her, towering over her by a good foot and a half as he crossed his buff arms in front of his massive chest.  “Because I know, and he knows too.”

The blood drained from Mom’s face (and mine) and she briefly looked at me with utter disgust written all over her features.  I couldn’t help but wonder why she’d never told me a single thing about my father though.  I’m just saying that if she were honest with me from the get go, then I probably wouldn’t have unknowingly committed incest… but I probably _knowingly_ would have though.

“E noo fssh,” (“He knew first.”) I slurred, as if that would somehow make the situation better, at least in my favor.

“But that’s not the part where you’re the most fucked up,” Daddy continued, his eyes flashing a bright yellow, making Mom gulp loudly.  “You see, you mentioned that I should leave ‘cause I’m not my boy’s ‘Family’— that was the term you used, ‘Family’.  I think you were too busy suckin’ dick back in school than to learn the actual definition of that word.”

I loudly gasped at the major burn Daddy had just dished out.  I could’ve sworn that I overheard Justin’s booming laugh echo out from the waiting room… of course the Pack was listening in.

“And I know I certainly fucked up big time with Darren,” Daddy added, shooting me an apologetic glance real quick.  “And for that, I’ll always try to make it up to him, because he is now and will forever be my number one priority… because he’s my family.”

Mom opened her mouth to counter, but Daddy’s fierce growl instantly silenced her.

“You, Loose Laura, on the other hand, have no fucking clue what ‘Family’ is!  Darren was never one of your priorities, ‘cause for you, it went Johnny, your work, and bein’ a whore— in that order.  Meanwhile, for me, it goes Darren, Darren’s safety, Darren’s happiness, and the rest of my Pack.”  Whoa, I took up three slots for Daddy? Dang.

_I told you he loved you, Dumbass_ , my inner wolf said.  _And Loose Laura— damn, that’s brutal!_

My inner wolf definitely made a point (well, two points) because never before could I actually recall anyone standing up to my parents before regarding how they treated me.  Growing up, I’d just assumed that a majority of people didn’t have enough time for me and that I should really just be as out of the way as possible to avoid becoming a burden.  Therefore, I didn’t cry out or ask for help during any of the times Jonathan had raised a hand to me or one of the numerous times Mom had “forgotten” to pick me up from preschool.  I’d been raised to believe that I didn’t matter.

And then Daddy came into my life.

Holy moly, it was if life before him was a black and white, low-budget movie with grainy film quality.  Then that moment when he’d first held me in those strong arms of his, the scenery burst out into glorious technicolor with colors so vibrant that they put the clearest rainbows to shame.

I’ve always been one to be a little apprehensive about making wishes that would change the past because of that fear of the unknown, but I kind of wish that Daddy had been in my life from the very beginning.  As I looked up at him right now with high eyes, I could see his chest puffed out with power as he told off my mom on her subpar parenting skills, that thick vein popping out on his forehead as he obviously fought to keep his inner wolf down.  I’ve never felt so protected in my life.  

When I thought about it, if Daddy had involved in my life since birth, then I highly doubted that when Mom had married Jonathan, I wouldn’t have been so overcome with fear.  Jonathan would’ve never put his hands on me and I never would’ve felt so ashamed and embarrassed to be myself because in the back of my mind, I’d always know that Daddy would be there to help me out.  Then I also would’ve never been involved in the drama with Vincent because there would be no way that Daddy would ever allow anyone to harm me… and because Daddy probably would’ve never let me date anyone, but I’ll pretend that one wasn’t the obvious answer.  Either way, life would've been a million times better had Mom allowed Daddy to be present.  We would’ve figured out the whole Mate-thing later on down the road.

“…and as I recall,” Daddy resumed, his face beet red from tearing my mom a new one, “Johnny’s idiot ass kicked him out for being gay, and you allowed that? What the fuck is your mental damage? I would’ve never thrown him out for being gay, and you have the balls to say that I’m not family?! Oh yeah, real smart of you, Laura.  So no, I’m not going anywhere.  In fact, I think you should be the one to leave before I lose my temper.”  He bared his massive fangs at Mom, making her whimper slightly.

She took a cautious step back, and without looking at me or even muttering another word, fled the room.

“And if I ever see Johnny anywhere near my boy,” Daddy roared after her, “I’ll end him!”  Once there was no sign of my mom anymore, Daddy’s shoulders fell and he ran a thick hand through his messy hair.  “Fuck…”

Normally, I would’ve never approved of anyone raising their voice to my mother, but whenever I put the pieces together in my foggy brain, I didn’t really mind.  Mom had kept the identity of my father a secret from me for seventeen years, preventing me from feeling whole and resulting in me walking on eggshells constantly around my stepdad.  Then she’d allowed Jonathan to kick me out of the house for being gay, supposedly.  That, or Jonatan was going to use that an excuse, I wasn’t too up-to-date on the details of his devious plan.  Anyways, she also wasn’t technically here to see me, but had initially come to visit Jonathan and his stump hand and then had heard that I was here, so she’d thought that she’d just drop in to say, “Hey”.  Finally, and I know without a doubt in my soul that Daddy would never hurt me, but she had been all too ready to ditch her incapacitated son in a room with a pissed off werewolf.  Gee, I love you too, Mom.

_Who needs her? We have Daddy_ , my inner wolf shrugged, seeing nothing wrong with Mom fleeing the room and quite possibly our lives.

I mean, shoot, for years I’d been fearful about having my homosexuality exposed because I’d been under the impression that Jonathan would rip my mom away from me; I’d believed at the time that she was my closest living blood-related family member.  I see now that that’s not the case.  Yes, I’d been afraid to lose Mom, but a tiny section of me is beginning to realize that in reality, I’d just been afraid to be all alone because I felt so worthless.  But I’m not alone, because I do have Daddy.  So now with Mom running away and with me doubting that I’ll see/hear from her ever again, instead of mourning the loss of my previously closest family member, I felt… so relieved.

Oh goodness gracious, I’ve never felt so dang relieved in my life.  My head relaxed further into the pillow on the bed and I could hear the heart monitor evening out as my heart finally got the rest that it deserved. 

Finally, finally there was no more Mom, no more Jonathan, and no more Vincent.  Those three had severely made my life miserable, and now all thanks to Daddy, they wouldn’t bother me ever again.  I could actually take a full breath right now, filling my lungs with precious oxygen as my muscles weren’t so tensed up from stress and my neck wasn’t strained from anxiety.  Dang, I could cry, I was so relieved.

Whoa, I even began to sniffle a little bit as I chuckled, my heart having a fuzzy sensation as it was no longer beating roughly against my ribcage in a frenzied panic.  Everything was finally well.

“Baby?” Daddy asked, rushing to my side and gripping the railing of the bed as he worriedly looked down at me.  “What’s wrong?”

I giggled a little bit, wiping the happy tears from my eyes with my semi-good hand.  “Nodeeng.” (“Nothing.”)

“Th-then why are you crying, Baby?” Daddy pressed, running a concerned hand along my cheek.  His eyebrows were knit together and he stared down at me with the upmost compassion written all over this features.  This man really does love me a lot.

“I luff oo, Dah-dee.”  (“I love you, Daddy.”)

Daddy warmly smiled and bent down to press his full lips against my forehead.  “I love you too, Baby,” he breathed, resuming his spot right beside me as I drifted off to sleep.  “I love you with all of my heart.”

**(。≖ˇ∀ˇ≖。)**

“Here we are, Baby,” Daddy announced as he kicked open the door to his apartment, keeping me securely wrapped in his arms.  “I’m gonna lay you down on the bed and then I’ll make you some soup.  Sound good?”

I nodded.  “Mm-hmm,” I hummed, happy to finally be out of the hospital.

I’d been in the hospital for a total of five days, hooked up to machines and heart monitors that would call me out whenever Daddy kissed me and got my juices flowing.  When the doctor had said that I would be able to leave, Daddy was all too eager to declare that he’d be taking me to his place and would be my self-appointed caregiver until I was able to be back on my own two feet again… in approximately six to eight weeks.  That translated into me having to be nearly one-hundred percent dependent on the werewolf for almost two whole months.

Daddy carried me into his bedroom, setting me down gently onto the bed before rushing around the room to stuff pillows underneath my three broken limbs to keep them elevated as per doctor’s orders.  “Here, Baby,” he cooed, handing me the remote to the TV which he had moved from the living room into here for me.  “I’ll be right back with some soup.  Tomato alright?”

“Mm-hm,” I answered, my jaw still wired.  Now that I wasn’t hocked up on tons of painkillers, I could speak a little better, but I still didn’t have full control of my mouth, resulting in me having to have a liquid-based diet.  However, the entire time I was in the hospital,  Daddy had fed me all of my meals, holding the cup and straw for me because my limbs grew tired easily.

Daddy gave me one last toothy grin before leaving the bedroom to head to the kitchen.  I turned on the TV, flipping to some random channel, but I didn’t really pay too much attention to the show that was playing.  Instead, my mind was a million miles away as I replayed the events of my hospital stay.

To begin, Daddy and I had essentially agreed that I would have the option to decide whether or not I wanted the werewolf to be Daddy or just Dad.  That really was a tough decision.  Of course I had love for the man and I will always deeply appreciate everything that he’s done for me recently.  However, there was no way I’d ever be able to forget the fact that had lied to me.  Unfortunately, that black mark will forever be on his record.

Although, in the hospital, Daddy had proven to be quite the caretaker for me.  He was always there, faithfully by my side.  In fact, the only time he wasn’t perched by my bedside was when Ellie practically had to drag him out of the room by the legs to force him to go to the apartment to shower since he reeked of B.O. from not bathing for days.  Anyways, Daddy had given me my sponge baths, he’d fed me, and had even helped clothe me.  I’d felt so lame and humiliated at first, but Daddy had reassured me that it was his duty as my father, my Alpha, and my Daddy to take of me whenever I was in need.

I have to admit that it was rather nice being doted on, and it had definitely given the man some points in his favor.

Of course I was still undecided, but I couldn’t deny that it was nice knowing that whenever I would be under the weather, Daddy would help me through it without a single complaint.  It wasn’t just me too, because Howie had come to visit me in the hospital and had mentioned that he had plans to move into a retirement home since he didn’t feel comfortable living with Jonathan anymore (he’d even given Daddy a high-five when they talked about Jonathan’s lack of a right hand).  Daddy had shook his head at the notion, declaring that there were vacant apartments at the complex that the Pack owned for future members and that Howie could just move into one of those, which he graciously accepted.  

Daddy has a big heart, there’s no denying that.

He’d helped me out with Vincent, the feral wolf, Mom, Jonathan, and now he was taking care of me and my friends when I was injured.  It was totally becoming difficult to stay mad at him.  I mean, I still resented his lie, absolutely.  It was just… a little easier to overlook it when he was there handling me like I was constructed of precious porcelain.

But I’m still not sure…

“I hope you’re hungry,” Daddy smiled as he entered the bedroom with a bowl and spoon in hand.  I could see little whiffs of steam flowing from the bowl and the bittersweet aroma of tomato soup wafted through the air, making my stomach grumble.

“Thank you,” I said as he sat down on the edge of the bed right next to me. 

“Of course,” he breathed, blowing on a spoonful of the soup, trying to cool it off a little bit.  “Open up.”

I parted my lips, allowing the older man to drip some soup into my mouth, kind of coating my clenched teeth with it.  It was delicious and really did help to sooth my hunger pains, and although I was kind of sure that I would’ve been able to feed myself, I let Daddy pamper me.

When I was finished with the tasty soup, Daddy set the bowl down onto the side table next to the bed, standing up and stretching his large arms over his head.  “It’s gettin’ late, Baby,” he yawned.  “Let Daddy get you into some pajamas.”

Because I was wearing two casts on my legs and one on my arm, I was seriously limited on what kind of clothes I could wear since they had to be loose enough to actually fit over the cumbersome additions to my body.  That resulted in me being dressed in just basketball shorts and a seriously loose t-shirt… with no underwear since I couldn’t fit the clunky casts through the leg holes.

Like he had done at the hospital, Daddy carefully pulled my shorts off, licking his lips hungrily as he stared down at my body.  However, because he didn’t want to unfairly influence my decision, he didn’t act on those urges that I knew for a fact that he was experiencing at the moment.  Instead, he grabbed a clean pair of shorts and tugged them on me, making sure to even leave the drawstrings out like I preferred so that they would get wrapped around my junk if I twisted my body around.

“Arms up,” he said, and I obeyed so that he could yank the t-shirt off over my head.  “I’m just gonna have you wear one of my mine because it should be loose enough around your cast… and my wolf wants you to smell like me more.”

I simply nodded, seeing no problem with that whatsoever.  “Okay, Daddy.”

Daddy rushed over to the dresser that was in the bedroom, yanking open the second drawer and fishing out a red t-shirt that would undoubtedly be tight on him but billowy on me.  He returned to my side and helped to move my arms this way and that so that he could pull the t-shirt onto me, making it look like I was wearing a dress instead of a shirt due to our massive body type differences.

“There,” he grinned down at me.  “Now, is there anything else that Daddy can do for you, Baby?” He really looked so eager to please me, like a dog who had just fetched the mail for their owner and had just presented it to them.  I bet that if Daddy was an _inumimi_ , then not only would I have one-hundred percent been down to clown with him from the get go, but his tail would’ve been wagging like crazy right now as he was so happy just to be taking care of me.

“I’m good, Daddy,” I said.  “Thank you.”  I relaxed further into the bed, marveling at how comfortable the mattress was when compared to the rock hard one back at the hospital.

“O-okay,” Daddy faltered, looking a bit disappointed.  “Well, I’m gonna sleep out on the couch to give you some space.  Just holler if you need anything at all, okay?”

“Alright,” I murmured, my bones feeling incredibly tired despite not really doing much of anything as of lately.  I suppose the healing process really does leave one feeling a bit fatigued throughout the day.

Daddy paused at the door, turning to look back at me.  “C-can I give you a goodnight kiss?” he asked, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.  He even shuffled his feet a little bit as he anticipated my answer.

I knew that he was just trying to keep his word and allow me to reach my own decision regarding the fate of our relationship, and I deeply respected that.  “Y-yeah,” I stuttered, having to clear my throat afterwards so that I wouldn’t sound like a hormonal mess… just a mess.

I swear that Daddy’s resulting smile went against the laws of physics because it was the largest thing that I’ve ever seen on the man, and I’d even seen his cock so that was saying a lot.  He practically sprinted over to me and quickly pressed his warm lips onto mine, moaning a little bit as he gave me an innocent kiss; although I bet that if my jaw wasn’t wired shut, he would’ve totally deepened it.

“I love you, Baby,” Daddy breathed as soon as he pulled away.  “I’ll leave the door open so that I can hear you if you need anything, ‘kay? Goodnight.”  He tiptoed out of the bedroom, flicking off the light as he left.  The glowing of the TV barely illuminated the small bedroom and I could faintly overhear the older man sighing as he laid out on the lumpy sofa.

I laid my head back onto the fluffy pillow, letting out a gust of breath as I allowed my muscles to unwind and my body to sink into the comfortable mattress that smelt like musk and pine from its owner.  I know that I’ve mentioned it a lot during the past couple of days, but I’ve honestly never felt more relaxed than I did with Daddy.

He really was proving to be the world’s best caregiver, and the way he treated me made me feel like I actually mattered in the world— that I wasn’t just a waste of cells and space.  I’ve never felt that kind of inner peace before in my life, and I knew with absolute certainty that I owed it all to Daddy.

The man had remained dutifully by my side throughout the entire hospital stay like a guard dog.  Speaking of guard dogs, he’d fought off every threat to my existence that had reared its ugly head.  He was taking care of me and made me feel like I finally had someone in my life who loved me unconditionally.

I know that Daddy had lied to me and that it should be an unforgivable act that he had committed.  However, I cannot find it within me anymore to remain angry with him.  Sure, it may be completely and nauseatingly cliché for me to tear my walls down directly after some traumatic event.  Despite how cheesy the entire situation sounds, I truly felt deep down in my heart that after rescuing me from Vincent, Jonathan, and the feral wolf that Daddy had proven himself to be my number one.

There was no one else in the entire world who I trusted more than him, who I felt safer with. 

…who I loved more.

Yes, I am in love with Paul Martinez, a.k.a. Daddy, a.k.a my father who also happens to be an Alpha werewolf.  It may not be socially acceptable, but whatever.

Honestly, the man waited on me hand and foot for my entire hospital stay, making me feel like royalty as he wouldn’t even allow my feet to touch the ground (they kinda weren’t supposed to, but still).  There was no doubt in my mind that he put me first on his list.

_I told you!_ my wolf mocked. _Daddy loves you!  And you love Daddy!  You know, you really should listen to me a lot more.  I know what I’m talking about._

Eh, yeah in this one instance, he’s right.

“D-Daddy!” I called out, my face immediately getting heated as I prepared to let the man in all the way.  I wasn’t used to being the one who initiated anything.

It didn’t even take three seconds before Daddy hurried into the bedroom and was right at my bedside, awake and alert.  “Yes, my love?” he asked.  He was dressed down to just his boxers, his chiseled chest muscles on full display for me to gawk at.  Yeah, I could totally do this.

“Um,” I stammered, pursing my lips, “w-would you like to lie down with me?” I tried to scoot over to make some room for him, but my nearly dead limbs were a bit difficult to maneuver.

“There’s nothing I want more, Baby,” Daddy whimpered.  “B-but, are you sure?”

I nodded, looking at him with reassuring eyes.  “Yes, Daddy.”

With a growl of pleasure, the werewolf scurried to the other side of the bed and dove underneath the covers.  His high body heat warmed up the bed and made it all the more cozy, if that were even possible.  “May I please hold you?” Daddy asked, his hands creeping towards me under the covers.  “I’ll be gentle, I promise, since I don’t wanna break you.”

I know that if I do this, then that’s it: I’ll cement my fate forever as the homosexual mate to an Alpha werewolf who is my biological father.  I’ll knowingly be committing incest and certain people will be aware of that fact.  Am I really prepared for that to be my life for the rest of time? To be tied to Daddy until my last breath?

In the dimly lit room, I glanced over at Daddy’s beautiful eyes as they pleadingly stared at me.  He had on a lazy smile that was framed by his thick stubble and his limbs twitched with desire as they longed to hold me.

Daddy really had helped to change my life for the better.  I really do owe him, but that’s not why I’d ever agree to anything.  No.  I know without a single doubt that if we had never met, that my life would be the same as it had been: I’d be in the closet getting beat up by Jonathan and Vincent while Mom turned a blind eye to the whole ordeal.

But that’s not my life anymore, all thanks to Daddy.

For that, I’ll forever be grateful to have the man in my life.  I… I don’t want to envision any kind life without him right by side.

Utilizing all of my strength, I shifted across the mattress to get closer to my father, resting my head on his broad, bare chest.  “Please hold me, Daddy,” I whispered.

With a pleased, rumbling growl, Daddy tightened his arms around me— not painfully so, but forceful enough to emphasis that I was all his.  “Of course, my love,” he purred, bending his neck so that he could pepper kisses along my face.  “Daddy will hold you whenever you want, all through the night.  And I promise that I’ll do everything in my power to be the man that you deserve.”

I don’t really feel like I deserve someone as perfect as Daddy, so I just silently smiled and nuzzled against him, basking in the glowing warmth that skin-to-skin contact with him brought me.  “I love you, Daddy,” I sleepily yawned.

“I love you, my Baby,” Daddy cooed as he held me close to him, refusing to let go even for a second.  “I always have and I always will, no matter what.”

I quickly fell asleep, peacefully resting in that sensation of belonging and happiness that only my Daddy could give me.  He is my home and there is no place in the world where I’d rather be than right in Daddy’s arms.

I love him with all of my heart.


	35. Northern Lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been wild ride, but here it is: the final chapter of “Call Me ‘Daddy’”.  I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it!  I look forward to sharing my future works with all of you!
> 
> ♡ Guzmasboi

 

 ****“Northern Lights” - Cider Sky

_Fingertips / Northern Lights / Tracing colors right through the sky / Underneath a lullaby I never felt as blissful as I do here / And my heart sings in a world so incredible / And everything shines much brighter / I want to fly into this beautiful life / I think it’d be nice with you_

**(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡**

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****

**Two Years Later**

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“Okay, I can do this,” I chanted over and over to myself as I paced back and forth in the tiny room that was off to the side in the local church.  As I worriedly walked, I kept glancing at myself in the mirror, grimacing at the white tuxedo that I wore.  It was form fitting… perhaps a little too form fitting because my butt was perfectly pressed against the pants so well that I may as well go around in backless chaps!

“Darren, you look fine,” Nicky groaned as he adjusted his tie.  “But I just wanna go on record, that as your best man, I did warn you that all of those Snickers you ate would go straight to your ass.”

“You’re not helping!” I panicked, taking another look in the mirror, cringing when it became apparent that the bags underneath my eyes were so large that it looked like I was a raccoon.  I knew that I didn’t have the largest self-esteem on the planet, but I could’ve sworn that all of my physical faults were amplified today.

 _Who cares?_ my wolf huffed.  _You look terrible on a daily basis, so why worry about today?_

He really needs to work on his bedside manner.

“I would tell you about my wedding day,” Nicky offered, waving his hand in the air dismissively, “but I can’t quite recall it.”  Even after a couple of years, poor Nicky still hadn’t regained his memory, but he always said that it didn’t matter much to him because he had a great and honest husband like Patrick faithfully by his side to help him throughout each and every day.  

Man, I hope my marriage is as perfect as theirs.

“Which, by the way,” Nicky added, “Patrick sends his apologies for not being able to attend since he’s still down in Bodega Bay tracking that wolf that attacked you.  He says that he’s really close to a scent.”  

Yeah, there had been murmurings that the feral wolf who had attacked me two years ago during the entire dramatic event with Vincent had been spotted in the woods near Bodega Bay and Guerneville, and been wrecking havoc there.  So a few wolves had been enlisted to head South to help out whatever Pack was there.  They’re just rumors that Ronnie had relayed to me, so I couldn’t quite confirm how true they were, but from what I’d been told, the wolf was extremely feral and crazy strong.  Some of the wolves were nervous about the possibility of its volatile aggression attracting the attention of… *gulp, werewolf hunters to the area.  I hadn’t even known that they were real.

To be honest, and I know that it sounds selfish of me, but I was just happy that he wasn’t here to cause havoc for the Crescent City Pack.

“There’s no need to apologize,” I reassured my friend, “I understand.  And I’m sure that Patrick’s safe— he seems to have a smart head on his shoulders.”

Nicky smiled faintly and nodded.  “Yeah,” he quietly agreed before glancing at the clock that was mounted on the wall.  “You have three minutes.  Are you going to be all mentally prepped by then, or should I tell everyone you have cold feet?”

“I d-don’t have c-cold feet!” I countered, although I couldn’t deny that the increasing frequency of my heartbeat did make the idea of hiding underneath one of the pews sound rather enticing.  Don’t get me wrong, I was very excited at the thought of getting married, partly because I loved my fiancé with all of my heart and also because I was in shock due to the fact that I never thought that anyone would actually want to bother with getting engaged to me in the first place.

Besides, everybody else seemed to be moving on to further stages in their lives as well, so I should too.  Nicky and Patrick were happily married still and they were even in talks about adopting a pup… not a puppy dog, but like a baby werewolf.  Ronnie and Justin were expecting twins, resulting in Ronnie going a little insane with dragging everyone around to all the different stores to buy massive amounts of baby products while Justin was practically losing his hair from pre-baby jitters… I just couldn’t help but imagine the confusion the newborn children will have when their mom calls their father “Daddy” too, but in a different manner.  Lola had gotten accepted into Portland State University after graduation, so her and Rhett relocated to Oregon during the school year and then they come back to Crescent City during Summer Break.  Each one of them seem to be having the time of their lives with their werewolf mates, constantly smiling and soaking in happiness.

I haven’t heard a single thing from Mom or from Jonathan ever since the hospital stay that I’d had after I’d been attacked by the feral wolf.  Howie had told me that they’d moved back to El Paso, but that was it.  They never attempted to contact me and vice verse, but that honestly didn’t bother me one bit.  Quite the opposite, really.

Vincent was gone for good, so there was no need to ever think about him anymore.  After he was dealt with, I had been contacted by the police since they’d looked at his phone records and had seen numerous calls made to me.  However, under the Alpha’s guidance, I’d lied and had claimed that I had no clue where he was.  He’s still listed as a missing person…

As for Daddy—

There was a knock on the door, making me jerk back in surprise and because of how tense I was.

“Who is it?” Nicky asked, remaining in his seat as he flipped through a magazine.

“It’s me,” Daddy called out from the other side of the door.  “I’m here to see if Darren’s ready.”  His voice was shaky with nerves too, I could tell.

Nicky gave me an up-down before nodding to himself.  “Yeah, he’s good,” he answered.

The door squeaked open and Daddy poked his head inside, his eyes widening as soon as they landed on me in my white tux that showed off my butt a little too much for my liking.  “Whoa,” he gasped, “y-you look incredible.”

I could feel my face beginning to burn with blush, so I turned away from him… presenting my butt to him inadvertently.  This sucks.  I should’ve just worn a potato sack instead.  “Th-thanks,” I stuttered.

Daddy entered the room, looking absolutely stunning in his black tuxedo that was specially tailored to hug every curve of his massive muscles.  He kind of gave off the appearance of James Bond, looking fancy and dangerous at the same time.  Sexy.

He walked over to me and placed both of his hands on my tiny shoulders.  “You look beautiful,” he breathed.  “You’re gonna do great out there.  Now—”  He held out his hooked arm for me to take.  “Ready for me to walk you down the aisle, Son?”

The organ music started to play from out in the church, signifying that it was time.  Oh my God, I was actually going to get married.  Me!  I’d honestly thought that I’d die single and with a couple of cats whom I’d talk to about my day after work, but they wouldn’t really care because they’d have no interest at all.  Yet, here I was, dressed up in a white tuxedo and about to get walked down the aisle by my father who kept running his hungry eyes up and down my shaking form as he licked his lips lustfully.

“Well, I guess I better get out there,” Nicky muttered as he dogeared the page he was on before setting the magazine aside.  “See you there.”  He shuffled out of the room to take his spot on my side of the church… which wasn’t filled out by too many people.  I had him, Ronnie (because she’d insisted on sitting there for moral support when she found out that my mom’s invitation, which I had mailed out as a gesture of goodwill, had been returned), and Howie.  Still though, three was an enormous social number for me.  So I’ll take it.

This is it though.  In a couple of minutes, I’ll officially be married and then there’s no more backing out.  My fate will be sealed and I will be legally tied to someone in a way in which humans all across the country will recognize.

“R-ready,” I gulped, hooking Daddy’s offered arm in mine.

Daddy bit down on his lower lip in hesitation when he saw how much of a nervous wreck I was.  “You know, you don’t have to do this,” he commented, patting my back gently.  “No one’s forcing you to get married.”

“I know that,” I muttered, my feet already numb from them sweating so much.  “I want to do it though.”

Daddy took in a large gulp of air, squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest, nearly popping the buttons off of his tight dress shirt.  “Okay then,” he said, nodding to himself.  “Let’s get you down that aisle.”  He led me over to the doorway where we remained for the rest of the procession to go along.  

Then The Wedding March began to play, letting me know that it was my turn now to walk down that aisle, escorted by my father as all eyes would be on me.

I can do this though, I know that.  Plus, I cannot think of anything else in the entire world that would feel so right in this very moment.  I knew that this was my destiny, as corny as that sounds.

Very quickly, Daddy leaned down to press a kiss onto my cheek, smiling to himself when my face burned even hotter.  As the music played, he began to lead me outside of the room and into the main part of the church were the entire Pack was standing at the pews— all eyes on Daddy and me.

My shyness began to get the best of me and I tucked my chin in to my chest, trying to hide my burning face from all of the eyes in the room.  Daddy chuckled and lifted my chin with his free hand, grinning ear to ear as he led me closer to the altar.

“Hey, please don’t hide that beautiful face, Baby,” he breathed.  “I want to look at it all day long to help remember this day by.”  His deep eyes were full of nothing but adoration as he stared into mine, making my legs feel wobbly as I nearly swooned for my father in the middle of a church… I think that might be technically sacrilegious.

In order to help me out with my timidness, I focused all of my attention onto the gorgeous man who led me towards the altar where the priest (who was also a werewolf) stood at attention, smiling warmly at us as we approached.  I’d honestly thought that because Paul was Daddy and Dad, that it would’ve been the cutest thing in the world if he walked me down the aisle to our own wedding.  It made perfect sense in my head, and now that we were actually doing it, it felt completely right.  Daddy was a great father to me and he took extremely great care of me whenever I needed him; and he was the greatest person in the world that I knew… and he was a fantastic lover as well and always knew how to make my toes curl.

“Just wait until we get out to that limo,” he growled playfully into my ear, making my breathing grow all wheezy with anticipation.  He was not helping me out one bit.  Still though, despite the immense shyness I felt with all eyes on me, there was no place where I’d rather be and there was no man I’d want to marry besides my Daddy.

We made it to the altar and took our positions on either side of the priest, still holding onto each other’s hands.  Daddy ran his thumb up and down my hand, the soothing motions helping to calm my mind down by the smallest portion.

The priest cleared his throat and all of our guests took their seats, and I spotted Howie in the first row who gave me a nod of approval.

“Dearly Beloved,” the priest began in a loud, booming voice that commanded all attention, “we are gathered here today…”  As he began with the proceedings, my mind kept wandering away, in complete disbelief that I was actually marrying the love of my life!

Daddy had proposed to me just a couple of months ago, and it’d been really sweet how he’d done it too.  We’d been on a little date night out to the movies and had stopped by an ice cream parlor afterwards.  Daddy had thought that he’d try to be cute by hiding the stunning silver band (he knew that I wasn’t one for flashy jewelry, so he kept it simple yet classy) in my banana split.  After performing the Heimlich maneuver on me, I spit up the ring and had instantly agreed to marry Daddy… who had been forced to save my life yet again. 

Of course I jumped at the chance to marry the love of my life.  Daddy had proven to be the best person in my life and I couldn’t imagine being happy with anyone else in the universe.  Sure, the beginning of our relationship had been bit tumultuous, but nothing’s one-hundred percent perfect.  Plus, at the end of the day, whenever I took the time to seriously think over the past events of when we’d first met, I was in disbelief over how many hints I’d failed to take into consideration.  I suppose there really is a difference between book smarts and common sense.

The entire time the priest went over the sermon, my eyes were locked with Daddy’s.  He looked so handsome dressed up in his tux with his dark hair neatly combed to the side.  He stared back at me, his smile wide with glee, showing off his pearly white fangs that gleamed in the light that poured in through the gorgeous stained-glass windows.  His giant hands cradled mine, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on my skin.

The priest paused for a second, attracting our attention to him.  “Paul,” he asked, “do you take Darren to be your husband, to live together in holy marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both will live?”

Whoa, that was a lot of promises.  I’ve lived my life according to the will of others before, but never was it out of love— it’d been solely out of fear and self-preservation.  However now, the priest was asking us, with all of my friends and family witness, if Daddy and I were going to stay true to one another.

“I do,” Daddy answered without a moment’s hesitation, giving my hands a gentle squeeze.  His smile grew even larger and he stood up taller with pride.

The priest turned to me, a twinkle in his eyes.  “Same to you, Darren.  Do you take Paul to be your husband, to live together in holy marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both will live?”

Oh wow, this was it: the defining moment where there’d be no turning back at all.  Not only was I already in a relationship that was recognized and respected by werewolves, but once we’d be married, then I’d be in a relationship that would be recognized and (maybe) respected by humans.  The entire crowd was staring at me, intent on hearing my answer.

Now, some may say that it’s a complete and utter social travesty for a boy to be marrying his father… but whatever.  Daddy’s name wasn’t on my birth certificate, and California doesn’t require a blood test in order to get a marriage license.  Therefore, only Daddy, me, and a select few were aware of the fact that we were father and son entering holy matrimony.

Like I’d said before, I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with any other man besides my Daddy.

“I do,” I said, grinning at the fluttering sensation in my stomach as soon as I vocally declared my devotion to the man in front of me for all eternity.

Daddy unleashed a sigh of relief, his smile growing even larger than before as if it were humanly possible.  It was kinda cute how nervous the man was about the entire thing, believing that I’d actually back out.  No way!

We exchanged our rings, settling on some simple silver bands due in part to our budget and how classy they looked.  I couldn’t help but tense up with jubilation the second the precious metal touched the skin of my left ring finger.

“Then by the power invested in me,” the priest announced, “I now pronounce you Mr. and… uh, Mr. Martinez.  You may kiss the groom.”

I’d planned on being modest and going for an endearing little peck on the lips since the whole Pack was watching us right now, but Daddy apparently had other plans as he placed both of his man-sized hands on either side of my face, pulling me towards him to full on kiss me with tongue and everything.

The Pack in the pews applauded, some even howling, as Daddy and I shared our first kiss as a married couple.  I didn’t really care about being on display and allowed the man to dominate the kiss, actually enjoying him taking the lead like he always does.

I know that at the start of everything, things weren’t exactly the best when it comes down to Daddy and me.  However, I can state without a single ounce of doubt in my heart and soul that if I’d never met Daddy, then my life would still be miserable… or over.  Although, all of the things that had occurred in the past are in the past, and I cannot wait to enjoy my future with Daddy, my father and now my husband.

Daddy wrapped a protective and gleeful arm around my waist as we walked back down the aisle together to head to the community center where we were going to have our reception.  He had a little pep in his step because I knew for a fact that he’d be unable to keep his hands to himself while we are in the limo.

I was looking forward to it though.  I was looking forward to the future that I would share with Paul Martinez, especially now that I’m officially Darren Martinez.  No longer am I fearful of growing up or being around people, but I can honestly look down the road now and feel confident with the Alpha of the Crescent City Pack faithfully by my side.

“I love you, Daddy,” I smiled as he opened up the door to the limo for me, happily hopping inside and scooting over to make room for him.

“I love you, my sweet Baby,” he grinned, looking at me as if he’d just won the lottery.  “I always have, and I always will.”  He sat down inside the limo and closed the door shut behind him, immediately pulling me over and onto his lap as he wrapped both of his strong arms around me.  “And now, you’re all mine.  All Daddy’s.”

I giggled as the man began to nuzzle me and pepper little kisses up and down my neck.  “All yours,” I breathed, melting into his muscled body.

I am all Daddy’s, and I’ve never been happier.

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**The End.**

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End file.
